Zephyr in Her Hair
by Gloryofluv
Summary: Charles Weasley is a respected Paleontologist. He spent most of his adult life sifting through dirt, brushing off bones and discovering species and subspecies of dinosaurs. Happenstance would have it, a young woman was pushed forth into one of his grandest adventures; the discovery of dragons. Is it a hoax or something of real, dare they think, magic? AU Charmione
1. Chapter 1

**Author Notes: Hello Potterheads! Well, this is a concept I had been mulling over for a month or so now, and it finally developed into words. I am not sure how well it will be received, and I don't know where it's going to go, but it sounded fun so I thought I would share. Review and follow if you're interested. I am deciding if it is something worthy of getting to the core of the adventure!**

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 _AU: Magic hasn't existed for eons and now is considered a myth… or so they think._

 ** _Summary: Charles Weasley is a respected Paleontologist. He spent most of his adult life sifting through dirt, brushing off bones and discovering species and subspecies of dinosaurs. Happenstance would have it; a young woman was pushed forth into one of his grandest adventures; the discovery of dragons._**

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Hermione Granger was glancing out the window in somewhat boredom. Why did she agree to do this? She supposed Ginny wanted her along for moral support, but there was so much to do. Hermione had to finish her thesis and prepare for her trip to Africa. No, the Potter would not have it; she had to go on this family trip.

Harry pushed her to sit next to Ron on the ride there, a considerable regret for them both. The curly-haired woman would have preferred sitting next to Ginny, but Harry insisted. It was their first trip as friends since Harry married Ginny, which was never a problem. What was, could easily have been avoided. Harry wanted Ron and her together, but that wasn't going to happen. He had his chance. Hermione was fully aware of that.

"We're nearly there," Harry mumbled as he drove through the winding roads.

"Tell me again why we are going to his dig site?" Ron grumbled, rubbing his face.

Ginny glanced back at him with a scowl. "Don't be a dunderhead. Mum wants us to see if he'll take a break from work and come back with us."

"All the study time I'm missing out on," Hermione sighed, watching the world whistle by.

"You both sound miserable," Harry remarked, scratching his neck. "Maybe we should have just done this alone, Gin."

"No, don't be silly. They're just crabby from sitting all day. The hotel room was a bust as well. Next time we're flying to Romania."

Hermione closed her eyes and thought about her work. It was the only thing keeping her sane with Ronald Weasley's rambling for the last two days. At one point in her life, she had convinced herself she was in love with him. A schoolgirl with a deep crush on one of her best friends. Now, however, life had changed. She went off to start saving the world from injustice, and he was… well, he was right where she left him; a whiner and immature prat.

"There's the turn-off, thank god," Harry groaned as they turned onto a dirt road.

The bumping of the jeep caused Ron to jostle into Hermione and his hand to skate her thigh. "Ronald, if you don't remove your hand, I will make you," Hermione hissed without opening her eyes.

"Mione, why the bloody hell are you so grumpy?" he challenged sharply.

"Because instead of preparing to go to teach women in villages how to read, I'm sitting next to you," Hermione barked and shoved his arm further from her.

Ginny glowered at her and Hermione settled, folding her arms over her chest. "Yes, we all know what you gave up for this vacation. Now, why don't you grab a fizz and relax." Ginny growled with a pointed stare.

Hermione snagged a soda from the bag at her feet and uncapped it, drinking the lukewarm liquid. It was overly sweet and almost hurt Hermione's teeth, but she ignored it as Ginny settled again. Harry tapped the wheel a few times as they approached a smaller road. They were almost there.

When they rounded one of the hills, that was when Hermione perked up. She sat further on her seat and peered out at the sight next to them. They were traveling around a mass of people pouring over holes and ditches. Some were using tools, while others were bent over screens. It was unusual and odd.

They slowed as the car approached a few trailers. Now, it was going to be interesting. When they parked, Ron nearly flung himself from the vehicle. He stomped over to one of the buildings and went inside. Apparently he and Ginny had been out here a few times, but Harry just as uncomfortably fidgeted as Hermione.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine with it Harry," Ginny reassured him as she unbuckled.

Hermione, personally, had only met the Weasley in question twice. Once was when she was thirteen and spent Christmas with the Weasleys while her parents went to Australia. The second time she was sixteen, and he had stayed all of one night before spending the holidays doing goodness knows what with friends.

Hermione finally climbed from the jeep with a stretch and glanced around. It was beautiful and green, with lush trees and a lake not too far from the site. Around them were squared off holes with twine and flags. The woman was definitely out of her element. Hermione listened half-heartedly to the Potters speak about Harry's nerves as she wandered over to one of the holes. In it was bones of some sort with different markers. It was a creature she had never seen before with a massive nose.

"Hatzegopteryx," a voice startled her and made her almost fall into the hole.

A large hand grasped her arm and helped her pivot to the stranger. "I beg your pardon," she snapped, yanking her arm away.

The man was quite beastly looking. His long fiery hair was only partly bound behind him, with a maroon shirt that clearly announced he did not have an opinion on cleanliness. His trousers were torn and wore the same dusty appearance as his shirt. However, it was his deep blue eyes that contradicted his casual attire; they held a fire. "I said that is a Hatzegopteryx. A hatching. We found him just this week," his voice was gruff, but still held kindness.

"Oh," Hermione replied with a blinking stare.

He frowned and folded his arms over his chest. "You aren't part of the students we just got in today?" he asked her with a stern tone.

"Charlie!" Ginny shrieked and ran around Hermione, launching herself in the stranger's arms.

The now identified Weasley laughed and lifted the small woman up. "Ginny, oh, wow, what a surprise!" he chuckled and squeezed her as she was righted on the ground. "What are you and your lot doing out here?"

Ginny hemmed while shuffling her boots through the dirt. "Well, I wanted to introduce you to my husband. I think you remember him from home," she murmured while waving Harry over.

Harry scooped Hermione under his arm for support as he stood in front of Charlie. "Ello, Charlie. I'm Harry Potter. We met a few times. This is my best friend, Hermione Granger. Hermione has been studying for her doctorate sociology. We came out to visit with Ginny and Ron went off to the loo I believe."

Charlie snorted but held out his hand. "I suppose you have come out here to see the place? Well, it's a good time; we have some lot of students from uni here on a dig. I hope you brought tents; I don't have room in my trailer for all of you." Charlie announced as they shook hands. "Some of you might not be used to roughin' it," he finished while glancing at Hermione with an arched eyebrow.

Hermione pulled away from Harry and tossed her curly hair behind her. "I will have you know, Charles, I have had some time in the bush myself," she responded and turned back toward the jeep, marching toward the trunk.

Charlie grinned brightly and clapped his hands together. "Well, bravo, book girl," he snickered.

Hermione sneered at him while opening the vehicle. "Deplorable," she breathed, shouldering her large bag.

"Hermione, let me get that for you," Ron's voice bounced over the area.

He walked over and tried to get her bag from her, but the curly-haired woman shrugged his offer off. "No thank you, I don't mind doing the labor myself," she said abruptly.

Charlie cleared his throat and waved the Potters to follow. "So, we are going to set you up just around my trailer. There's a nice camp spot, and you are more than welcome to use my facilities. If the students weren't here, I would offer up the one down the way, but alas, timing is everything." He proclaimed as he went toward the trunk.

They all were grabbing items from the jeep and didn't have to walk very far to set up. It was around a building and an ample open space surrounded by trees. There were a fire pit and plenty of room to set up tents. Hermione was a bit out of her element and just watched as the Weasleys and Harry interacted.

"We just unearthed a cave. It's exciting because if we find specimen inside, we could potentially see them preserved. I have been quivering with anticipation as we checked to make sure it was safe," Charlie explained to his siblings as they were pulling out the tents.

Hermione shuffled through her bag and had out a checklist. Ron snorted and nudged his brother, while they both watched her go over the items she had and check them off. "Hermione, don't you ever get tired of being that prepared?" Ron asked, bringing the woman into the conversation.

"No, Ronald, I do not. You will be thanking me later when the leeches from the lake latch on to you and you need them off or when the bugs aren't crawling around your tent because of my repellant." Hermione responded, not glancing up at them.

"You prepared for what?" Charlie questioned, amusement on his face.

"Don't pester her, she has saved our lives a time or two by being prepared," Ginny retorted, shoving a tent toward Ron. "You're supposed to be nice, remember?" she hissed.

Hermione exhaled heavily and erected herself from the bag. "I'm going to take a walk. I need some fresh air and silence after such a long drive," she murmured and fixed her jeans before strolling toward the lake in the distance.

Charlie glanced at the others, but Harry grimaced in reply. "Ron, I thought you said you were going to be nice."

"It's not my fault she has a stick up her arse. I've been nice; she's been terrible," Ron responded as he yanked open the back to the tent. "She's been like this since the hotel."

"Well, next time don't get drunk and try to shag her," Ginny said as she pulled out the rods to their large tent.

Charlie snorted loudly and waved at his sister. "He's always been lousy with women, that will never change."

Harry arched an eyebrow and fixed his glasses. "You say that like you know."

"I receive letters still, Harry. Just because I'm not there, doesn't mean I don't get updated. George still has older brothers, doesn't he?"

"Ya know, she is a right pain in the arse. Thinks she knows everything. Books can only keep you so warm," Ron grumbled, pouring the contents of the tent on the ground.

"Be careful what you say out here, Ronnie boy. My blokes love a good sass to go with their intellect. Your personal preference isn't the foundation of all men," Charlie warned and took a chance to watch the figure by the lake.

"How many others are here with you now, Charlie?" Ginny questioned as she helped Harry thread the rods through the tent.

The older Weasley returned his attention to his sister and shrugged his shoulders. "There's a handful of us that are perma digs. You'll meet them tonight." Charlie was working on the hostile woman's tent without her consent. He was sure to get an ear-bashing for it, but decided it was worth her having a place to hide.

"Hey, Charlie, you said uni kids were out here?" Ron questioned as he bustled through making his tent.

"Don't even think about it Ron," Ginny huffed, rolling her eyes.

"What? They have to have a bit of fun when they aren't digging," he retorted, tilting his head.

"I give up, you're hopeless," Harry sighed, shaking his head.

"You all should just settle in. I'm going to check my sites here after everyone is situated. Give me a holler if you need anything," Charlie announced while moving the large tent to a decent spot.

"Okay, Charlie, we'll see you around supper?" Ginny asked with a smile.

"Most certainly. I'm glad you all came out. We'll have loads of fun," He said with a grin and departed around the side of the trailer.

"I hope he's serious," Harry sighed, glancing out at his estranged friend. "She may not enjoy it as much as I hoped."

Ginny patted his arm as they put up their tent. "Don't worry; she'll come around. She's just tired."

"Just get her some tea and a book," Ron grumbled and bobbed his head. "Well, I'm going to go check out these digs." He said and wandered off from his tent.

Harry rubbed his face under his glasses. "Why did we bring him? I had hoped he'd rise to the occasion."

"Just time, Harry. He's not used to being around her again. They hadn't seen each other in a year," Ginny voiced with a hopeful tone.

"We can hope, Gin. Let's finish getting this place together." Harry said with a nod.

They got to work on fixing the campsite, and Hermione soon joined them. The hours faded and soon when the sun was sinking toward the horizon, there was more laughter to be found. At least until the rest of the diggers arrived…


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione was lounging on her cot and reading under the hanging lantern she placed up above. She was holding up in there after returning from the lake and listening to the Potters chatting around the firepit. The wafting smell of the lake overtook the clearing and freshened the air, causing Hermione to relax and enjoy. Birds were singing in the distance. The only thing missing was being able to take a decent shower, but she wouldn't complain about that just yet.

"Bloody hell, what a long day," a gruff voice expressed as stomping was heard nearby.

"Digging was never going to be easy," another one responded.

"Hello there, we're Charlie's family," Ginny declared as the footsteps grew closer.

"Blokes, look, Char's got himself visitors!" A booming voice shouted.

The curly-haired woman climbed off her bed and peeked outside the tent to see four men standing around the campfire. "Hello, gents. I'm Harry Potter, and this is my wife, Ginevra Potter. She's Charlie's sister."

There were handshaking and greetings of the sort. "Kenneth, Richard, Damien and I'm Al." the more massive blond declared.

The dark-haired man was tanned with braids and waved. "Pleasure Potters. Kenneth Clark, from Surrey." he murmured.

The shorter stout man with burning red hair patted his chest. "I be Richard O'Neil. Welcome."

"I'm Damien Parker, from the states," the lanky blond declared with a wave.

"Hey, stop spying and come on out," A familiar voice grumbled.

Hermione noted Charlie was standing at the edge of the clearing and was making his way over. She wanted to dodge the rest of them seeing her, but the men all turned and glanced at the wide-eyed woman peering from the tent. "Come on out, girl, we ain't gonna bite," Richard declared waving her out.

She climbed from the flaps and exhaled, "My name's Hermione Granger," she announced with a polite smile.

The men all took turns shaking her hand, and her eyes grew from the loud greeting. "You want an ale?" Al asked her as they finished shaking her hand.

"Oh, well, yes, that sounds nice," Hermione mumbled as he handed her a bottle.

Harry waved her over to the log that they rolled toward the fire pit. "Come on over, Hermione. We're just enjoying some fresh air," he persuaded.

The curvy woman nearly skipped over to escape the group of men who were making themselves at home around the rest of the logs. Damien set down a cooler as Kenneth was dragging over a grill. "Can't be eating with the children. They are a messy sort," Richard declared as he tossed another log in the campfire.

Charlie opened the cooler and grabbed a bottle for himself before plopping down in the hammock, letting it rock against its posts. "A nice night though. Can't wait for tomorrow."

Hermione opened her book, and Harry nudged her. "Come on, why now?" he hissed and nodded toward the men settling around them.

"Well, why not? I do have to produce something of a draft when I get back, Harry. I hardly have time to breathe during the school year," Hermione sighed, shutting her book.

"What are ya studying?" Damien questioned before sipping from his drink.

"Human behavior," Hermione murmured, tucking the book next to her. "At least what I'm working toward this next year."

"The behavior of what? Men touting off about their superiority or women with their struggles of social equality?" Damien smirked as he leaned toward her. "Both are very akin to each other."

Hermione smiled and tossed her curly hair behind her. "Last year was my course on culture and personality. It was riveting. Did you study sociology?" She asked him with a tilt of her head.

"No, god, not ever. I couldn't even begin to understand the inner workings of my own behavior let alone others," Damien snickered and waved his hand.

"Another uni student?" Kenneth grumbled with an arch to his eyebrow.

"Relax Kenny; she's spirited. Not like those girlies from the last group," Charlie murmured, glancing through papers he was reading.

"Ask me not of a woman's scorn," Al grunted as he shifted on the bench by the hammock.

"Or she be worse than a lioness with a taste for flesh," Richard responded with a nod.

Ginny glanced over at Hermione and shrugged her shoulders. "Different sort out here," Ginny declared, and Harry bobbed his head.

"Have you ever dug up bones, Granger?" Kenneth inquired with a fixed frown.

Hermione shook her head and huffed. "No, but I have spent time in Africa and Thailand. I was due to make another trip to Africa with a non-profit I work with before Ginny offered me to take the trip with them here."

Charlie set down his paperwork and scowled over at her. "What do you do in Africa?" he asked.

Harry hummed as he saw his best friend crumple a bit. "She goes to the villages to teach the young women there how to read and write. It's part of her whole concept to better the feminine culture with independence."

Hermione motioned agreement as she watched the men around her fixate their eyes on her. "I like to show them they can. It has been received with mixed reviews from their chiefs…" Hermione trailed off, rubbing her neck.

"And she's amazing at it. If I didn't have a football career, I would have been doing the same thing. Likely after," Ginny said with a bright smile at Hermione. "I don't think I know anyone as brave as Hermione."

Harry nudged her with a frown. "Well, that's a woman, right?" he taunted with a smile.

"Yes, Harry, that's a woman," Ginny groaned with a rolling of her eyes.

"I always wanted to go to Africa. The digging there is choice," Damien declared with a smile.

Hermione stood up and lifted her index finger. "I actually have something to show you," she announced and marched into her tent.

After a bit of digging into one of her bags, she came out with a large claw. Hermione handed it to Damien who scowled and lifted it to the light. "What is this?"

"A lion's claw. It was given to me by a chieftain. He told me I was a lioness and showed great courage. It was after I chose to participate in one of their dancing rituals to bring the rain. When it rained the next day, he said my roar was heard from the heavens which is why he gifted it to me." Hermione finished with a nod.

"She fails to mention she did the ritual naked and covered in paint. The women of the village decorated her and called her pale stranger in their native tongue," Ginny added with a bright grin.

Hermione exhaled and tried to cover her blush. "I wasn't completely naked."

"I saw the picture your crew took. You were darn near in starks. The only thing covered was your tender bits." The redhead retorted with a wicked giggle.

"Wait, do you have the picture?" Kenneth questioned with a hint of a smile.

Hermione hemmed and watched Damien hand the claw to Al. "No, I don't carry it with me," Hermione mumbled.

"They brushed her hair out to be like a lion's mane and hung beads from her neck. It was a lovely picture," Ginny remarked with a nod, letting go of her playful tone.

"You want to go on a dig with us tomorrow?" Charlie offered and cleared his throat. "All of you," he clarified.

"Sounds fun. I have only seen dino bones in a museum," Harry replied with a smile.

Hermione sipped her drink and was glad to see the men admiring her claw. When Charlie got a hold of it, he scowled as the conversation turned to their work. The others had plenty to say, but he was quiet as he examined the trinket. It was worn and quite unusual. When he turned his gaze back to the bookish woman, she was staring out at the lake. There was something he wasn't sure he understood.

His pensive attitude was interrupted when a chuckling entered the space and Ron stumbled into the area. "Brother!" Ron shouted with glee. "Why didn't you tell me that your work was so fun?" he laughed and sat down on the hammock next to Charlie. "Oh, look, Hermione brought out the claw. Did she tell you she shagged the chief's son too?" he snickered and looped an arm around his brother.

"How bloody pissed are you this time?" Hermione snapped as she stood up.

Ron waved her off and rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter. It's a vacation," he grunted.

She stomped up to them and snagged the trinket from Charlie. "Well, some of us like to retain a bit of decorum, Ronald Weasley," Hermione hissed as she glared at him.

Ron tried to push his chin on his older brother, but Charlie pushed him away. "Sober up some, brother," he breathed and attempted to calm Hermione. "He's just running his mouth," Charlie mumbled with a shrug.

Hermione closed her eyes and exhaled. "For your information, I did not shag anyone. It takes more than a nice arse to coax me, but you can't say the same, Ron," she spat and pivoted toward the log.

No one said anything as she snatched up her book and marched into her tent, zipping it up behind her.

"You shouldn't have said that, Ron," Ginny retorted as her brow was scrunched.

"I'm allowed to say what I think," Ron huffed and waved his hand. "You do. You can't say it's been easy on any of us and she shouldn't judge everyone for it."

Harry grimaced and shook his head. "Fred's been gone for years, mate. No excuse for your actions."

Charlie climbed off the hammock and moved to leave the clearing. "Where are you going?" Ron questioned his brother.

"To go think, Ronnie. You have sullied the evening for me," he grumbled and tucked his paperwork under his arm. "I'll eat something I have inside. Good night, fellas," Charlie mumbled and walked around the corner of his trailer and out of view.

The night was soured, and no one heard or saw Hermione in her tent for the rest of the evening.

* * *

The sun hadn't fully reached over the hills when Charlie stirred from his sleep. He was trying to remember what woke him when he heard a small knock at the door. Yawning as he climbed from bed, he yanked on a pair of shorts and wandered into the other side of his home. Once the door was opened, he stood there a bit shocked at the sight before him. Hermione was in a large t-shirt, messy hair and shorts with boots.

"Good morning, Charles. May I use your facilities?" she asked, shuffling her boots on the step.

He moved aside and let her in, giving her another once over after the door was shut. "You can come and go as you please, no need for formalities," he grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Hermione dared not look at the nearly nude man. He was daunting and uncommon looking, but it made her feel awkward. "Thank you. Where is it?" she inquired as she shifted her weight.

"Oh, this way," he responded and waved her to follow.

It was a small hallway, and he pointed to the door on their right. "Bathroom. Whenever you need to use it, feel free to come on in. I won't lock the lot of you out."

She disappeared into the room with a nod and quick word of gratitude, leaving him to scowl at the door. There was something different about Hermione. He chopped it up to blurry thoughts from sleep and fumbled back into his bedroom, slumping onto the mattress with a groan. Charlie wanted to snooze more before he had to be up for his day, but his mind wouldn't relax now that he was awake.

The redhead listened to the water running and secretly wondered what the young woman was doing in the bathroom. Was she digging through his things? She seemed to be the overly curious sort. Did she see the absolutely appalling state of his dirty clothes in the hamper? Unfortunately, he hadn't done laundry in a few days.

The bathroom door sounded, and a quick knock was heard on his bedroom door. "Charles, do you mind if I make tea?" Hermione asked with a small voice. "I'm sorry I keep bothering you."

"It's fine, go ahead. Make me some as well, would you?" Charlie responded.

"Okay, thank you," she said politely, and he heard her boots shuffle down the hallway.

He gave up. Throwing a t-shirt on, he padded back into the main living quarters and saw Hermione bustling around the kitchen. She was digging through the cupboards and had bent in a lovely position. Lovely by his standards. He hadn't seen a woman bend in such an inviting way in months. "It's in the cabinet to the right," he offered, and she jerked.

Standing up, she turned to him, surprise evident on her face. "Oh," left her mouth and her cheeks burned in the low light from the fixture. The elfish creature was stunned by the looks of it.

Charlie motioned to close the distance and reached behind her, pulling out the tin. "Here," he offered and handed it to Hermione.

"Thank you," she mumbled and ducked from his personal space toward the stove.

"Do you have any more stories?" Charlie asked as he leaned against the counter nearby. "I enjoyed the one about the dance."

"Do you have any stories?" she countered, still not turning to him as she put the kettle onto the burner.

"My first dig was on a set of raptors," he voiced.

Hermione finally turned to him with a courteous smile. "When did you find out this is what you wanted to do?"

"That's an easy one. There were no uni classes for dragon taming," he teased with a smirk.

She laughed and bobbed her head. "No, I suppose not. I believe there might be one or two on mythology," she suggested with a curve to her lips.

"What's your story with my brother?" he asked and almost immediately regretted it.

Her posture changed and she rolled her eyes. "He waited until your mother suggested he ask me out to do so. By then I had all but seen him snog and go through girls like they were flavors of ice cream. I want no part in that role," she huffed and tossed a hand in the direction of the campsite outside.

"You ever," he paused and shifted his head from side to side.

"No," she said with an indignant tone.

He patted the counter next to him and exhaled. "Well, I'm horrible at small talk." He commented.

Hermione smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "Most human beings are. We just forgive and forget that process."

"I'm much better with bones, they don't talk back if I'm having a shite day," he snickered with a curl to his lips.

"Well, depends on the bones I assume. Some might always look put out with how they are stuck there," Hermione responded which drew another laugh from the redhead.

"Was that a joke?" Charlie asked with an arched eyebrow.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders and smirked. "It might have been."

"So you go to Africa, study at uni and what else?"

"Nothing. Just read. I'm not much for socializing," Hermione grumbled, and the kettle started to whistle, drawing her attention to the tea again.

"No boyfriends to keep you busy?" his tone was light despite the intrusive question.

"Boyfriends? As in multiple? Charles, are you pegging me as a slag?" Hermione voiced as she poured the water into the pot on the counter.

"Not a slag; empowered. You know you can have your pick and do so with a fierce display," he murmured with an arched eyebrow.

Hermione was bent over while suffering fits of laughter, shaking her head. "No- not- even close," she sputtered through the giggling. "I don't think you remember meeting me before. I was awkward looking then and even more so now."

Charlie examined the woman and found no awkward or peculiar things about her appearance. It was true; he didn't remember her. He was sure he would have, but he didn't. Hermione was exotic looking with her wild and luscious hair, sun-kissed skin and curvy form. "What are you?" he asked and she straightened her posture.

"I'm the product of blending races. Both my parents are dentists on a quest to save the world, one cavity at a time," she declared with a smile.

"You must get that question plenty," he murmured, embarrassed at his stupidity.

Hermione quirked her lips to one side and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't mind. It is a bit odd to see a girl with freckles have puffy curls."

"I have freckles just about everywhere, do you?" he teased and her cheeks filled with color again.

"Not everywhere," she grumbled, scuffing the floor with her boot. "Everywhere?" she asked with a bit of surprise, realization washing over her.

Charlie bent toward her with an impish grin. "Yes," he agreed with a nod.

The door shuddered open, and Ginny walked in bleary-eyed. Charlie pulled away from the young woman just as his sister noted their presence. "Good morning. It's nice to see you out of the tent, Hermione," Ginny yawned as she walked over. "Tea too? Fantastic," she grumbled and waved at her brother.

"Good morning, bathroom is in the hall," he reminded her.

Ginny nodded and wandered off. "I'm looking forward to today," she responded, and the bathroom door sounded, announcing she had gone inside.

Hermione poured herself tea and added sugar before moving from the kitchen. "Thank you, Charles," she mumbled before leaving the trailer in quick motion.

Charlie stood there a moment and pondered her swift departure. It was going to be quite intriguing to find out more. That was never a good sign. He shook himself out and dressed a cup for himself; caffeine is what he needed. Caffeine and a nice dig. The redhead mentally reminded himself of those things as he sipped his cup and went into his bedroom, preparing for the day ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

Ginny was running her hands over the intricate tool on the table as Charlie was going over a map with Harry. The men were chatting about the different species and bonding, which Ginny loved, but she was distracted. Her stomach had been plaguing her something fierce.

Hermione was out a ways from the covered area examining one of the holes a few students were shifting around for possibly more evidence. She didn't speak to them, and they didn't acknowledge her. They were having their small conversations while sifting through the area.

"Have you seen the caves yet?" the woman with black hair questioned.

The young man with her shook his head. "No, Weasley has been pretty restrictive about who sees it."

The young woman watched their interactions with mild interest as they dug cautiously and spoke. Maybe they were dating? Second years at uni; likely exploring the idea of being with only one person for the rest of their lives. The girl gave him secretive smiles as they dug together. He tilted his head slightly in reflective posture. It was sweet. This moment couldn't be taken from them.

Hermione had her phone out but didn't meet their gaze as she snapped a shot of one of their silent gestures. It was too charming to pass up on while watching humans being kind and loving to one another. "Hey," a soft male voice interrupted her spying.

Hermione glanced over to see a familiar face. "William!" She shouted as she climbed off the ground and hugged him tightly. "I thought Fleur said you couldn't come out."

"Well, I told her Ron, and you were stuck in the same car," Bill remarked and let her pull away, tugging a ringlet of her hair. "I couldn't bear the idea of you struggling with that," he snickered with a grin.

"A challenge to be sure," Hermione responded with a snort.

He ran a hand over her cheek. "I hopped the first plane out of England this morning and drove here. Only for the weekend, but I assume that might cull some tension," the eldest Weasley grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "Now, how is my dear professor in the making?" he asked her as they pivoted toward the covered area.

Hermione pursed her lips, and her hair swayed as she tilted her head from side to side. "Given the time and effort so far, not too terribly bad."

"And the, ya know?" he inquired as they reached the table.

Hermione glanced at the others who were eyeing them with curiosity. Her shoulders bent, and a sea of color bloomed on her cheeks. "It's fine. It's all fine," Hermione voiced, straightening her posture.

"Bill-iam is going to shack up with me this weekend. He'll be taking the sofa bed in my trailer," Charlie clarified to the curly-haired woman.

Ginny bobbed her head with a smile. "Hermione and I were just going to go make some lunch. Everyone else want some?" the redheaded woman offered.

Hermione's eyes grew. "We are?"

"Yes, we are, because I said so," Ginny said evasively and nudged her head toward Harry.

"Oh, yes, I am ravenous all the sudden," Hermione mumbled as she walked up next to Ginny. "Let's go."

Charlie watched them walk away as they skirted along the path. The difference was a simple observation. The glaring red of his sister's hair was bright in the sunlight with the balanced earthen brown of Hermione's was honey-spun. They walked conjoined as Hermione leaned close to the form of her friend. It was tender, but not an oddity he assumed.

"They're close," Harry announced, causing Charlie to direct his attention back to those under the covered space.

"Yeah, it's nice to see her. I wish she would come to dinners more often," Bill sighed, running fingers over his jaw.

"Well, I don't see you begging me to come, brother," Charlie teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

Bill squared his view on his immediate younger brother. "Well, we gave up on that years ago, Charlie."

"It's unfortunate she isn't taken to Ron any longer," Harry grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"She hasn't been in years, Harry. It's time to give up on that. He should have been the one to look after her, not Fred," Bill growled with a firm glare.

"I just wanted her," Harry stopped and exhaled. "It's silly."

"No I understand, but you have to see it for what it is. When Fred died, she lost someone too. He was the only one who let her be something other than Hermione in those days before he was gone. She has every right to suggest his folly."

Charlie waved his hand and frowned. "Wait a tick here; I'm lost. What happened?" he questioned with a frown.

"Bad things happen to people all the time," Harry sighed with an apologetic expression. "This, however, is not my story to tell."

"Well, then can you tell me why it's so important to push two unwilling people together?" Charlie inquired with a twisted brow.

Harry hummed and shifted on his feet. "We didn't want to tell anyone yet. Only Hermione knows right now, but I feel it's important to let you both know. Ginny is pregnant, and we want to throw a party for my birthday and tell everyone then."

Bill laughed and slapped Harry on the back. "Congratulations, Harry. Now the driving bit makes sense. Don't want to chance it."

"Congratulations," Charlie echoed and bobbed his head. "Why push them together?"

Bill snorted with a roll of his eyes. "Because our sister is determined to make that woman a part of the family. I can put one hundred pounds on the idea that she thinks if Hermione married him then she would come to all the Sunday dinners, birthday parties and children's births like a good aunt does. She's just feeling the flighty doubts that seem to run in our family."

"Well, it would be nice if they got along," Harry grumbled, his cheeks blooming with color. "They're going to be the baby's godparents."

Charlie's brows knitted as he glanced between the other two. It was an occurrence he hadn't thought of; marriage, children, the whole nine. He had been so dedicated to his work that it just never roused any feelings of positive or negative within him. Before him was his older brother and now brother-in-law, both with those two things. It made him feel that deficit for the first time in his life. "So, you are out here to invite me?" Charlie questioned.

"Ginny wants all her family together when she does tell mum and dad. It's important to her, and I want her to have that," Harry declared with a simple nod.

"So this twit," Bill started and elbowed Harry with a smile. "Decides to drive for days, throw his two best mates who are at odds with each other in the backseat and spend a week getting to know you. So that when you come back with them for the party, it can be all of us together for the first time in years."

The conversation was interrupted by shouting. "Weasley! You have to come see this!" Damien hooted as he ran up, panting deeply. "There's- another layer to- the cave." He said through breathing.

Charlie gasped and clapped his hands together. "Sorry brothers, I have to go see to a new development!" he announced and motioned towards Damien. "Catch me up on the way there," he ordered, and they marched off toward the other side of the hill.

* * *

Hermione and Bill were trading photographs inside the trailer. That was only because Ginny mentioned craving biscuits and Hermione was more than willing to make them. So while they were in the oven, her and her pseudo-brother traded stories. It had been almost a year since she saw him last and regretted it just a bit. Well, more than a bit. She felt torn asunder with her lack of participation.

"Victoire still talks about the books you gave her. Look, here's a shot of her reading one of them," he offered, pulling the picture out of the small box he brought with him.

Her fingers traced the form of the blond girl. "She looks so darling, William. To think it feels like only yesterday she was just a baby," Hermione sighed before beaming up at him.

"How're your parents?" Bill questioned, tucking the photo back into the box.

Hermione tightened her lips before exhaling. "They're fine. They're still in Australia. My mum likes to be close to her friend since the diagnosis."

"Did you ever tell them?" he was careful with his tone when he spoke.

Her hair shivered as she shook her head. "No, and I won't. I couldn't imagine laying that type of guilt on them. It isn't their fault, and no one should ever make people who love each other guilty for doing just that."

There was a silence between them as Bill took his time to ponder over his next words cautiously. "Hermione, we love you and miss you," he finally decided on.

She rocked her head and huffed. "I know, I miss you all too."

The alarm for the oven went off, and Hermione paced over to it, slipping on the mitts. She had the done batch pulled out and the other placed inside it before anyone said anything. Bill just watched and thought to himself. The door slammed open, causing the pair to startle. It was Ron stomping in with a big grin on his face and mud in his hair.

"I got to dig up a flying dino with a weird name today," he announced with a wave of his dirtied hand. Hermione ignored the outburst as Ron took in his brother. "Oh, you made it. Very nice. I was just telling the blokes about the drinking game you introduced us to all those years ago. We'll have to play before you leave."

"Maybe not, Ron. I won't be here long," Bill responded as the gangly Weasley waltzed over to Hermione.

"Would you look at that," he murmured, reaching around her for a cookie.

She turned to the sink and was rinsing the cookware. "Don't eat them all, they are for the others too," Hermione grumbled as she scrubbed the bowl with more vim.

He encroached on her space and offered her the bitten cookie. "Want a taste?" he snickered, and she elbowed him.

"Ronald, go pester your brother," she huffed, still not turning around.

Another Weasley again invaded the room as Charlie walked into the trailer. He was dirty, and part of his forehead had caked dry blood over it. Ron was frowning as he wandered over to the couch. "Oi, what happened to you?" he asked.

Bill nearly jumped from the sofa which squeaked in objection and Hermione twisted. A gasp left her mouth, and her soap covered hands were being dried on her jeans as she stomped over. "Charlie, my god, what did you do?" she inquired with alarm.

Charlie motioned dismissal to their worry. "I just had a few rocks fall on me. Nothing a good shower won't cure," he responded.

Hermione scoffed and grabbed his wrist. "Come along, let me have a look at that. Just to make sure it's cleaned properly," she retorted, and his eyebrow quirked.

"What?" his voice seemed flat for being a question.

She swiveled her eyes and waved him along. "Where is your first aid kit. Let me at least have a look at you."

Charlie pointed toward the hallway. "I was going to do it before I cleaned up," he insisted.

"She's too bossy to ignore, you best roll with it, Charlie boy," Bill snickered.

"Please pull the biscuits out when the timer goes? We'll be right back," Hermione declared as she pulled Charlie off to the bathroom.

He seemed out of sorts as she pointed toward the toilet seat for him to sit. The redhead complied if only to not have her yanking on his arm as she had. If he didn't see the anxiety in her face, he would have likely spouted off. It was a unique experience to see someone push to take care of him for a change.

Hermione had pulled the small red bag from underneath the sink. The young woman went to work as she unzipped the bag and reached for a washcloth, wetting it in the basin. Charlie half expected her to tout off about how irresponsible he was or some sort. He was used to that from his mother when he was younger.

When she turned back to him, she had the cloth in hand. "Where did you get hit?"

He huffed, pointing to his head. "I'm fine," he grumbled.

The maroon cloth ran over his forehead and over the gash in his hair, causing him to wince. "I'm sorry, it might hurt," Hermione said with pursed lips.

"Just a reminder that I'm still here," he breathed and pulled away from her hand. "Hermione, I'm fine."

"Why didn't you take care of this at the site?" she questioned with a firm tone.

Her body contorted to reach for the alcohol she put on the smooth pale counter. When she turned back to him, she had cotton balls and the bottle in her grasp.

"Because I'm running this dig and I don't want anyone to think it's that dangerous, Hermione. I have several colleagues and students under my wing daily. Do you really think I would show that a few rocks are going to damage me enough to stop a dig?"

She tutted, and pressed a damp cotton ball to the wound, causing him to hiss. "Don't be such a baby, it's just a bit of a sting," she said, but her lips curled, loosening the tension in the enclosed bathroom.

Charlie smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "If you didn't meddle, I wouldn't have to be a baby about it."

"Touche," she replied.

"You want to come see what we found tomorrow?" he asked as she ran the washcloth over his forehead again to clear away the rest of the dirt.

Hermione arched her eyebrows and hemmed. "What did you find?"

His grin was huge and boyish as he spoke. "Preserved footprints. We're hoping it leads to a nest when we get further in." Charlie paused at her uncertain expression. "We cleared the way; it's safe."

The woman's hair swayed and bounced. "Of course. It sounds intriguing. Not many can say they've seen real footprints from beasts long extinct," she said with a smile. "Now, I'm going to release you from my care so you can tidy up. Next time, don't wait and leave the mending to professionals."

"I'm a doctor," he snickered, folding his arms over his chest.

"Well, not of the medical field, or any adjacent for that matter, Dr. Weasley," she voiced as her hands nimbly zipped up the medical bag.

Hermione was at the door before he cleared his throat. "I look forward to your biscuits, they smell amazing," he spoke, playfulness swirling in his voice.

Her honeyed eyes met his, and her lips shifted to a lopsided smile. "Well, hopefully, your partners don't eat them all before you get out."

She shut the door behind her and ignored the two Weasleys watching her from the sitting room. Neither one said a word, despite the confusion on their faces. In fact, that relieved Hermione in a significant way; she wasn't sure what came over herself either. Bloody vacations…


	4. Chapter 4

A shrill sound on the air. It startled Charlie and made him jolt to sit and listen. Was that sobbing? He rubbed his freckled chest to calm his rapid heartbeat and listen intently to identify the sound. It was still dark and checking his clock; it was near three in the morning to be precise. Now there was a muffled conversation between the sobs.

The door sounded to the entrance of his home and whispering took place. "Please, don't run," a man breathed.

"Leave me alone, Harry. It was only a dream," a feminine voice replied, and the bathroom door snapped shut.

"Is she alright?" another man, likely his brother.

There was silence, and then Harry hemmed. "Well, she sometimes gets them from what she told Ginny. She'll cry it out and go back to bed. Let's talk outside," he murmured, and footsteps receded down the hallway.

The front door creaked and then silence. Charlie had enough. He climbed from his sheets and slipped on a pair of boxers before leaving the room. The trailer was quiet aside from the stifled sounds in the bathroom. His knuckles grazed the door as he announced himself. "Book girl, are you alright?" he murmured, sleep thick in his voice.

Her crying was more audible as he heard her try to clear her nose and throat. "Yes, Charles. I just had a nightmare," her voice was more of a croaking than talking.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

The door crept open, and he saw her blotchy face in the artificial light. "I'm sorry to have woken you up," she murmured, attempting a smile. "I'll just be going," Hermione murmured, making an effort to motion retreat.

Charlie pressed open the door and made her walk backward as he entered. "Wait, just hold on," he declared with a frown. "You can't just leave when I don't know if you're okay."

Her bottom lip quivered as fresh tears left her blood-shot eyes. "Please, don't ask me. Everyone always does, and it's too hard to talk about after," she blubbered as her fingers ran against her shoulders.

Hermione looked as if she was protecting herself. It was a posture he felt disturbed to see. "Then we won't talk about why. I just want to make sure you're alright."

"I'm not," she whimpered, falling to her knees and sobbing outright.

Charlie collapsed in front of her and started to run his hands delicately over her shoulders and back. Anything to get the woman to stop shaking and crying. Hermione was near spasms at this point, and his fingers attempted to pry her hands away from her face. "Hermione, listen. You're safe, alright? If you need to sleep in my room so you don't feel so frightened I would gladly give it to you." He offered with a gentle, soothing tone.

"I'm pathetic," she whined, finally meeting his eyes.

"You're not pathetic. I don't know what happened, but we can attempt to cure some of its onset," Charlie responded, running a thumb over her cheek. "I can't stand to see a pretty girl cry."

She snorted; rather unattractive considering her nose was leaking and her lips were red from weeping. "I'm not pretty, Charles."

"Unless you shag women, you wouldn't know what is attractive to men," he retorted with a curve to his lips.

She laughed a bit and huffed at her runny nose, reaching for some toilet paper. "You should have been a comedian," she said before blowing her nose.

"You want some tea? Some biscuits? Maybe a back rub?" He offered with a charming smile.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, and her lips pouted. "Why are you being so nice?"

"I'm missing my scout's badge for helping a damsel in distress," he teased, resting against the tub ledge.

"I'm sorry to have invaded on your privacy," she grumbled, sitting flat on the ground near him.

He waved it off before scratching his chest hair. "It isn't like you aren't family. My sister sees you as a sister by proxy," he mumbled, relaxing his legs out in front of him.

He took up the span of the room, which Hermione noted. "I think it's probably best if I go back outside," she responded, wiping her eyes.

Charlie observed her state a bit more before smiling. "You can sleep in my bed. I'll go shack up on the hammock." He announced with a nod.

"Don't be ridiculous, Charles," she grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "You will get eaten alive by mosquitos, and I'm stable."

"You want to watch a film with me?" he inquired with a tilt of his head.

"A film this late?" she retorted with a considerable scowl.

He rocked his head and sighed. "I won't get back to sleep otherwise. You had my blood pumping," he said, knowing he was slightly manipulative.

Hermione shifted her position and hemmed. "I don't know," she began.

"If you don't, I'm going to go sleep outside and make you sleep on the sofa bed," Bill's voice broke their bubble. "Charlie won't fuck with you, I'll be here in the other room as well," he reminded her as he stood at the opened bathroom door.

Hermione sighed and nodded. "Alright, but only because I know you won't let me leave this building, William," she grumbled as she climbed off the floor.

Charlie yanked himself off the ground, and Bill gave him a small nod before walking away. "Try to get some sleep, Hermione," Bill ordered and soon the squeak and heave of the couch bed was heard.

"It takes a village," Charlie teased and tilted his head. "Be kind, my room is straightforward," he announced as they left the restroom.

When he opened the door at the end of the hallway, Hermione felt underdressed. Her large school t-shirt and pajama bottoms were not something she planned on wearing on such an adventure. Charlie snapped on the light as the door shut behind them and he reached for a drawer on his dresser. That gave Hermione time to examine the room.

It was quaint, with drawings and pictures littering the walls. Charlie's bed took up quite a bit of the room, but his shelves had books of all sorts. Books about dinosaurs, volumes on dig sites and even a few unlabeled books. The maroon blankets were disheveled and underneath revealed striped gold sheets.

"I told you, be kind," he announced as he threw on a t-shirt and sweats.

She shrugged her shoulders as her lips curled. "It's nice, Charles. Nothing horrible," she affirmed.

He splayed a hand out to the bed. "Ladies first."

Hermione rolled her eyes and ambled on the bed, being sure to not crawl into his sheets. Charlie pinched his lips and bit back a retort about him not wanking off on them, but felt it was crude and unreasonable considering. The woman sat on the bed, back against the headboard as her knees tucked against her chest. The redhead pulled out a drawer below the bed, yanking out a fluffy throw. He tossed her the massive blanket before turning the telly on and flicking off the lights.

When Charlie flopped on the bed, he flicked through the menu and turned on a movie he had in the player. Hermione had wrestled herself into a comfortable wrapping of the blanket as he snuggled into the sheets. The film was about a dragon.

"Thank you, Charlie," she murmured, not looking over at the lounging man.

"You're most welcome, Hermione. Not every day I get to be the hero," he replied as he stretched out.

They had watched the film together, and soon Hermione was resting in a more relaxed state. She enjoyed the bantering between the knight and the dragon and soon realized two things about the Weasley next to her.

The first was that he was a man who loved scales, through and through. Dragon or dinosaurs. The second was that he desperately wanted to be a knight. A nobleman of legendary qualities to stand for that which was right and just. The last thing she remembered was watching a man speak about some code of honor. Charlie was murmuring the dialogue with it…

* * *

Charlie grumbled as his alarm went off and yawned. He felt the presence of someone else next to him and fingers loosely in his lengthy hair. When he peered out of his heavy lids, he noted Hermione's form pressed against his own. The woman had maneuvered into the sheets sometime in the morning and was curled to him. It was as if she was hiding from the world as he head was tucked lazily down, with her fingers twirled in his hair.

He gingerly reached over and turned the buzzing sound off, but the woman didn't stir from her slumber. It took him a minute to untangle her hands, but when he did, he crawled from the bed. He pressed the pillows that were vacant where he was so she wouldn't wake up. Hermione murmured and tucked into the fake pillowed person, evolving a sleepy smile on his lips. Charlie padded from the bedroom with stealth and dipped into the bathroom quickly. He fixed his wild hair into a tie, emptied his bladder and went from the empty trailer with both speed and silence.

Only then did he let out a large breath and groan. He was going to be tired today, but at least she was alright. The redhead nabbed his boots from near the steps and slipped them on before walking around the building. His body felt sluggish. What he wouldn't give for a cuppa.

"Good morning, brother. I trust you slept," Bill announced as the camp came into view.

Harry, Ron, and Bill were sitting around a fire with cups in hand. "Good morning, brothers," Charlie responded as he slumped on the log next to Harry. "I could have used more, but it is give and take."

"So," Harry murmured, handing Charlie a cup. "We think what you did was fantastic," Harry continued.

Charlie sipped the liquid and grimaced at the bitter textures of coffee. "But?"

"No but," Bill clarified. "That's the first time she let anyone help her since Fred's funeral. We don't know why, but none of us are going to complain."

"I have a but, this is bloody mental. If she's that bad, she should be getting help. Medicine or a bloody psych eval," Ron growled as he glared over at Harry.

"I'm not a therapist, but I do believe that all qualms can be released with a bit of digging," Charlie mused with a shrug of his shoulders.

Ginny jolted from the tent and nearly sprinted around the trailer, which made Harry cringe. "I was afraid of this," he sighed. "She had been complaining about her stomach last night. I knew it was only a matter of time before it set in."

"You ever going to settle down for some, Ronnie?" Charlie snickered with a smirk over his cup.

Ron grimaced and waved at him. "That's so much work. Shame I'm not a poof like you," he sniggered which earned him a glower in response.

"I'm no poof," Charlie responded.

"I don't know, Charlie. You live alone. You surround yourself by bones and dirty men. It's only a matter of time before you say you prefer them to tarts," Ron said with a wild grin.

"Never love anybody who treats you like you're ordinary," Charlie declared before sipping his cup again.

Ron grimaced and waved at him. "Ballocks," he responded.

"Oscar Wilde," A soft voice entered the area.

The men all glanced towards the source and saw Hermione standing there. "Yes," Charlie responded.

Hermione's cheeks were rosy, but she cleared her throat. "Harry, Gin might need your help," she murmured, running fingers through her tresses.

The Potter set down his cup before standing. "Alright. Sit down and get some coffee. We'll have breakfast up shortly."

Hermione walked gently over the gravel and Charlie moved so she could sit on the log closest to her. She bobbed her head as she sat down and crumbled her body in a hug. "I'm sorry about last night," she said as Harry wandered off.

Ron grimaced and sighed. "Hermione, we love you, but you need help," he responded.

Bill shoved him and shook his head. "Don't listen to the dunderhead over here. We know you are getting it. Dr. Fienze is good for you still, right?"

Charlie sipped his cup in silence but arched an eyebrow. "I would rather not talk about this now," Hermione grumbled, making an effort not to look at Charlie.

"How about this," Charlie started with a shift of his posture. "You drink this swill that my brothers think is delicious. We eat some breakfast, and then we walk down to the dig. Things always make more sense with a bit of dirt," He said as he handed her his cup.

Hermione's eyes traced his face a moment as her eyebrows twitched. It was as if he was an alien from a different world in comparison to his family. Why? What was his whole understanding of boundaries and where they were? Was it a natural reaction to cast things that were stressful aside?

He must have seen her befuddlement because he rubbed her shoulder and stood up. "Now, let me go check on the merry Potters, and we will have some food." He murmured before standing up.

Hermione's gaze shadowed him as he walked around and then disappearing behind the corner of the trailer. "So, Charlie got you to settle down then?" Ron asked, causing Hermione to snap her vision toward him.

"We watched a film, and I fell asleep," her voice was uncertain.

Bill wiped his face as a groan released from his lips. "Ron, leave her alone. This isn't about you."

"What's he got that I don't?" Ron countered as he held his chin up.

"For one, he didn't pressure me to stop crying or talk about it," Hermione retorted as her eyes squinted.

"Not everyone is fucking perfect, Hermione! I only want you to trust me. You can't even do that," Ron snarled as his ears grew crimson.

Hermione stood up, her teeth showing with clenched tension. "You know why Fred was the only one I told about it? You were too busy telling me how much you wished you could change me and change what happened instead of offering a bridge for me to cross over to heal. He made me laugh and let me throw things at walls. Fred let me break things and toss them in the bin instead of trying to glue them back together and say it still looked new. Let me be bloody broken every once and a while!" She screamed before striding toward the lake.

Indigo eyes followed her form, and a heart was churning for the woman. Whatever she went through, he apparently missed out on in letters. His own trespasses set aside, his brother seemed to have been the only one she trusted. Charlie stopped his spying out the small window and sunk to the sofa bed with his mouth fixed. No one should ever have to feel those things. He was blind by his own pain and grief to even bear that maybe his brothers didn't share as much as he thought. An ill feeling of failure again surfaced, and he smothered the grim explosion with quick succession.

"Don't mind him, Charlie. Ron had always wanted her to be different, this was just a good excuse, and he latched onto it when Fred passed on," Harry's voice rolled into the small sitting room.

Charlie removed his hands and took in the empathetic man who walked into the kitchen. "Why, Harry? Why didn't anyone tell me I should have kicked him in the arse for his behavior? That is true suffering she has undergone."

"Because she had always been the strong one. She held us together in school. I was bullied for my parents' infamous murder, him being badgered for your heritage and lack of money… if it weren't for her showing us to stand in our own light, we would have been out of sorts. Hermione was always the brilliant one. The witted mind to quell our doubts and empathetic to our dispositions. When we didn't protect her, we failed her."

Charlie's eyebrows knitted as his nose scrunched. "That didn't answer my question."

Harry was fixing tea while he stood in silence. His contemplation was only registered by the shifting of his shoulders and feet. "Because she never wanted to admit that we caused it, Charlie. We caused her to be singled out and targeted. We brought her parents' marriage into the light of bigots and helped ostracize her. If she weren't the person to stand up against them, they would have never done it. Never dreamt of it. Ron feels just as guilty for it as I do, which is why she will let neither of us help her. "

"Then why Fred? What did he do?"

He turned to the redhead with a small curve to his lips. "He treated her like a normal human being. Something we all lacked in the moments that followed such an incident. Instead of fragility, he offered her laughter."

Harry finished with making the tea as Charlie thought. It was as if he was reading the story on pages in front of him. How does a story end with such a sour note?

"Don't think on it too hard. I'm hopeful that your lack of participation might be just what she needs," Harry murmured before walking down the hallway to the bathroom. "Love, Charlie had some ginger tea, would you like to try a sip?" he asked as the gangly man entered the bathroom.

Charlie listened to them murmuring back and forth. Sharing pitiful laughter and words of love. Despite her ruined state, he tended to her with hope and happiness. The Weasley could appreciate that and motioned approval as he stood up and paced into his bedroom. He was going to make it a point to show the curly-haired woman how to experience something new today. That was the only thing that mattered; even surmounting his desire to find the nest. It just was a driven force pushing him to this point.

* * *

 **Author Notes: Don't worry my dear Potterheads. The adventure is only about to begin. Hold on and enjoy the ride because I am forewarning you, it's about to get reasonably fun.**


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione had a small pack on her back, bouncing with her stride. That only amused Charlie to no end as they walked through the tunnel. Bill followed with Ron as they traversed the vast set cave. Bill was mumbling about some work subject as Ron grunted agreement. They were speaking about trivial things; Ron's ideas for the Weasley shop. George's new house, Fleur wanting another… it was all domestic and sweet. Hermione was smiling gently as she heard it echo off the walls.

"It's just over there," Charlie announced as he pointed toward a smaller fork to the right.

Hermione tightened her bag around her body and bounced on her toes a bit more as she walked. Charlie walked in front of them and glanced back at the intelligent woman. "Aren't you nervous about the lighting?" she questioned, pulling out a small lantern.

Charlie smirked, pulling out a tubular tool. When he pulled it apart, it emanated light much as a glowstick. "Never go into a dark hole unprepared," he teased with a wolfish smile.

"Now I know you're a poof," Ron taunted with a snort.

"Funny how the reference of a dark hole immediately sends you to an arsehole, Ron. Must be your train of thought, not his," Bill snickered, nudging Ron slightly.

Hermione huffed as she followed behind Charlie. "I'm surrounded by idiots," she grumbled.

"Well, at least one of them is a well-educated idiot," Charlie retorted with a rolling chuckle.

At one point the tunnel dipped and tightened, creating a severe feeling of enclosed traveling. Hermione felt her chest thump and her breath quicken at the condensed walkway. Charlie reached back and grabbed her hand as he ducked further down. "How far is it?" Bill grunted behind them.

Hermione took in the view of the Weasley men behind her nearly bent at the knees with how low the tunnel got. "Hurry up, Charlie, we're dying back here," Ron complained as he tapped his flashlight on the wall.

"It's only a little further," Charlie affirmed.

They walked a bit before entering a large cavern. There were lights and lanterns around the vast area which gave off an illuminating light in sparse spots. Hermione pulled away from Charlie and paced toward the right side. She held her small light source up to the walls and took in the detail. It was intricate in an odd withered shade of blue.

"The chemicals. Supposedly there's an underground lake somewhere, probably long since dried up. The sentiments are formed into the walls," Charlie declared as he crossed the room.

Hermione traced her fingers on the wall and tilted her head; it was so beautiful. The glittering of flecks of light flickered from the rock. "This is gorgeous. I can't even imagine how this looked before," she voiced with wide eyes.

"Oh, would you look at that. They're enormous!" Ron shouted, and it echoed off the walls.

Hermione drew her attention to the crumpled Weasley as he examined the ground with his flashlight. She strolled over and gazed at the prints on the ground. They were deep, and the grooves of the animals' skin were seen in them. She breathed and kneeled down to run her fingers over the dips. They were smooth and hard like stone, but it all had details of an almost magical presence.

"My word, what size was this dinosaur, Charles? It looks like it could have been enormous. Did it only walk on two feet?" Hermione asked as she shined her lantern on the set of footprints.

"We haven't been able to figure out what species they were," Charlie's voice rumbled behind her.

Hermione looked up at him and shifted her weight. "What do you mean you don't know the species?"

Charlie shrugged his shoulders. "They could be several different ones, but their key characteristics and strides are different. It is all speculation but wildly exciting. That's why we've been looking for the nest. If we can find bones, we might be able to identify what was nesting here."

Hermione stood up and stood in front of him. "Where do you think the cave leads?" she inquired and he took her hand, pulling her toward the edge of the room. "This room is quite large for it just to end here."

"We've been trying to get past this cave collapse. You see the cracks. It looks almost as if a natural cementing happened at the cave in." The rigid textures of the stone felt like small spines as she traced the lines. It was all so surprising, and the man next to her was grinning up at the large blockage. "I would love to see what's on the other side."

She smiled at him as his eyes fixed on the wall. "It would be intriguing," Hermione murmured as she noted his intensity.

Charlie smirked and tilted his head as he gazed at her. "Well, not every day you get to see something new or exciting," he whispered.

"So, brother. Explain to me what I'm looking at," Bill declared, causing them to jerk their vision toward him.

The older Weasley was running his hand over a large boulder. Charlie scowled as he stepped across the cave toward his brother. Hermione didn't move and took in the rest of the room as they looked over the rock. Charlie pulled a tool out of his bag and scratched the surface of it, his eyes glimmering in the yellow light. "We'll have to examine the rocks in here closer. It looks like there could be something in it."

It seemed so odd and open for a natural cave. She hadn't been in many but couldn't help to feel... skeptical. The space seemed melted and molded, but she thought better than to say anything. It might have sounded ignorant and couldn't stand to feel that silly. Well, at least in front of someone so renown for these things.

Charlie was intimidating in his natural environment. Hermione felt that way from the moment he was telling her about the dig. His smile was genuine and the words he used she could only identify the Latin in them. The Paleontologist might have been many things, but uneducated was not one of them.

Ron had taken upon himself to skip over to where Hermione was wandering, her light spreading over the dips and grooves of the cave-in. His hand went to her shoulder, and he rubbed it gently.

"Hey, I'm sorry I was a right arse earlier," he whispered.

She didn't turn to him as she walked the length of the wall. "Yes, well," Hermione grumbled and waved her free hand. "It's over with."

"Hey, come on now. I just want you to hear it," Ron insisted, gripping her jumper.

Hermione yanked herself away from him and tossed her hair away from her cheeks. "Ronald, leave it be. I don't want to talk about it." The woman frowned as she rose her lantern. "Charles, look here. There's something odd about this."

Ron pushed into her, and she ignored him as her eyes motioned skyward. Rough footsteps were heard along the dirt until Charlie's freckled hand ran over the wall she was looking toward. It was a delicate crack, but it ran down to the floor. His eyes thinned as his fingers followed it upward. "This is tricky, isn't it," Charlie murmured.

Ron pressed against Hermione again, and she stumbled. "Ronald! Stop it," she hissed as her body jerked into Charlie.

"Stop your crying," Ron snapped.

Charlie huffed while waving a hand at his brother. "Stop that. Leave her alone."

Ron puffed and held up his hands. "Oi, I didn't do anything."

The older redhead shoved Ron roughly and pointed a finger. "Don't touch her. Understood?" he inquired with a snarl.

"You bloody wanker!" Ron snapped and pushed Charlie roughly.

He knocked into Hermione which caused her to shoulder the wall. "Stop it!" She cried pushing against Charlie. "Both of you knock it off."

Ron rolled his eyes and tossed a hand at him. "You're brain's rotted out here, Charlie."

Bill stomped over and smacked his youngest brother over the head. "Don't be a wanker."

Ron elbowed him savagely and turned toward Bill. "Knock it off, will ya? It isn't like I was trying to hurt her."

It was a motion, unlike anything Hermione could have seen. It was like time hiccuped, and her mind couldn't wrap around it. Bill jostled Ron who slammed into Charlie. Unfortunately for the freckled man, he smacked clean into the wall, knocking Hermione backward. Her pack caught purchase on something, culminating the whole event into a full-on catastrophe.

The walls rumbled behind them, and the ground vibrated as Hermione tried to climb off the fallen Weasley. When she righted herself enough to attempt to help him, the roar was unmistakable. Everyone panicked, and when the woman stumbled back again, she did not fumble into a wall… she fell through the floor, bringing the bulky Weasley with her.

Hermione's jumper was sliced by a ridge as they slid passed down the slope. The white pain ran up her arm and to her skull, but she had little time to worry about that. It was dark, her lantern was gone, but she felt it. The whistling sound of stone and rock tumbling above them caused her to scream and holler. Her body jerked, and she felt her limbs grow limp in mid-air as rocks plunged by.

"I gotcha," Charlie grumbled.

"Charles! I can't see!" Hermione shouted, grappling for the arm clinging to her bag.

"I can't reach for a light, can you?" he asked, through straining teeth.

Her eyes adjusted slightly, giving her the opportunity to reach back for her flashlight in the side pocket of her backpack. She saw it. Charlie was dangling off the lip of the slope, and it was beyond her scope to see what was up further. Hermione pointed the light down and only saw darkness. This was not a good omen.

"Anything?" he hissed and was wincing at the weight.

"Can you help me over the edge? I'll pull you up," she murmured, tucking the light in her pants.

Charlie let out a monstrous groan before she swung and hit the lip, causing her to lose her breath. Her fingers scrambled and fought for enough leverage to pull up, but another roar happened in the echoing tunnel before them. "Let go!" Charlie yelled.

Rocks and rumble rolled nearest her, and she felt a tug once again.

"Hermione!" Charlie yelled as she dangled again.

The erratic woman snagged his arm and huffed as he held it tightly. "Don't let go," she whimpered.

Charlie attempted to use his feet to pull them closer to the ledge as the boulders tumbled right by them. Hermione tried to cling to him and felt liquid over his bare arm. The man grunted and jerked as he worked. "Climb up me, or we won't get out of here," He cried as the sounds of boots slipping on stone echoed.

Hermione was scrambling to scratch her way up. A crunching was sounded, he screamed in agonizing pain, and they were falling. Turning in the air she tried to breathe, but the wind was knocked out of her. The woman felt her sweater hook with her bag on something and jerk her to a stop, but her arm yanked as she squeezed Charlie's hand.

She heard him cry out as he swung into the wall. "Charles," Hermione whimpered. "If we die, I'm sorry," Hermione groaned and tried to pull him up further.

"Hermione, let me go," he moaned, and there was the sound of tearing as they jerked. "I'm too heavy."

"No! Don't talk like that," Hermione huffed and yanked him further.

The clinking of mental hitting rocks and her jumper fully tore, leaving them to fall into the abyss again. Hermione kept his hand in hers as they were falling. A thought came to mind as she was in the dark with only Charlie's fingers tangible; she should have at least worn her good boots.


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione splashed into the water. She was floating. The dark liquid swished and whirled around her, causing disorientation. The woman saw a glow and realized it was Charlie's tool, so she swam the opposite for a sense of direction. Surfacing, she gasped for air, noting nothing but darkness and echoes of her panting. It was panicking. Where was Charlie? She dove down and went for the light, grabbing it within her fingers and trying to peer through the water as she swam to the surface once again.

"Charlie!" she shouted, her voice shrill in the cave.

The glowstick illuminated a small range. Just enough for her to paddle around, seeking her partner. Her foot took purchase off of a soggy object, and it made her jerk, only to reveal when she sent the light underwater that it was her pack. "Charlie!" she cried again as she reached for the backpack.

Hermione was near full hysterics as she swam and searched for him. She finally came across his form, dipped into the water like a corpse. Her lips grew numb at the thought as she flipped him. There was a boulder sticking from the water, near enough to drag him and push him against it. "Don't you dare die on me, Charles!" she growled flattening him out enough to start CPR.

Hands pressing on his chest. Lips breathing air into his mouth. Hands nearly squeezing against him in urgency. Mouth over his, fingers pinching nose. "Please, wake up, please," she whispered as she built the rhythm in her head. "Charles Weasley, I need you," she whimpered.

Her mouth was over his when he choked, and Hermione pulled away to let him breathe. He coughed a bit of water out, and the glowstick rolled as he jostled, nearly back into the water. Hermione snagged it while pressing her forehead to his chest, sobbing. "My god, I thought I lost you," she cried.

His eyes took in her wet curls in the yellow light. "Hermione, where are we?" he croaked.

Her lips went to his in an urgent kiss, which short-circuited his brain for a split second. He almost didn't mind that his shoulder was flaring with angered pain. Or his ankle he was positive was sprained or broken. Charlie just noted that even in the damp, cold, dark, he still felt the warmth bubble up in his chest.

"I thought we were going to die," she breathed once her lips left his.

"Me too," he huffed, running a hand over her damp hair. "Do you see anything we can use to find landmarks?"

Hermione pulled away enough to remove her bag from her shoulder and unzip it. "Well, it isn't the greatest, but I have a small waterproof flashlight." She announced as she pulled the object out.

"Leave it to you to prepare for this," he sighed, slumping back on the rock.

Hermione searched with the light and saw what looked like possible land. "I'm going to go check. You just stay here with the bag and glow stick," she announced before sinking into the dark water.

The woman paddled off toward the direction of the land, only to find a small crest of built-up dirt. Not even enough for them to lay together. She glanced over with the light in desperation. They needed somewhere. Something. Driving herself back into the water, Hermione swam to beyond the small crest and around a rock wall to see sand. Sand and a possible light source of some sort.

That would have to do. Turning back to Charlie, she paddled and maneuvered on the boulder to catch her breath. "Alright, I will bring you to a place to sort ourselves out if you will just hold on," she exhaled.

Charlie sat up and winced at the pain. "Okay, book girl. Just don't tell the fellas I needed your help, alright?"

Hermione stored the tool in her backpack, zipped it up and tied the broke strap to her belt. That gave her the mobility to hold the flashlight in one hand while holding Charlie up with her other. It was taxing to get the man back into the water, and he growled in pain as they moved. It wasn't until they were submerged that he sighed in relief and slung his good arm around her. She was dragging him and her bag through the dark water while trying to keep at the surface.

It was taxing. It was awkward and damn did Hermione need a drink. By the time they reached the small inlet, Charlie had slumped on the sand, panting. The woman released him and untied her bag before wandering toward the light. It was a tunnel that led to an open cavern. The light were cracks in the ceiling a full building above a small river. There was greenery, and the air wasn't so potent.

Hermione felt it was probably safer than the complete darkness of the other side. "Charles," she declared turning around and flashed the light on him.

He tilted his head back and exhaled. "Is it a chocolate cake?" he asked.

"No, but a more comfortable place to be," she replied, sinking to the dirt next to him. "I'm going to move you, and it might hurt," Hermione warned him.

Hermione eventually helped the man off the ground, and they both found out how beaten he was from the fall. He could hardly put weight on his leg. The woman shouldered him as she grabbed her pack from the sand, wobbling into the next part of the cavern. He was biting back anguish at his pain, and she could tell. They journeyed slowly through the small natural hallway and ambled over the shallow river to a patch of moss on the other side near some plants.

"Good god, I am spent," he huffed, slumping down to the ground.

Hermione went to work when she sat down. She dug through her bag to find items they might immediately need. A first aid kit in a ziplock bag. A lighter and matches, also in a waterproof container. Some nuts. Biscuits in a bag. An extra pair of socks and knickers, soaked. Her phone which was waterlogged; unfortunately she didn't bag it. Finally, she had one of those compact heat blankets and a water pouch. All in all, it was a good turn out for the situation at hand.

Hermione exhaled and evaluated Charlie as he rested on the springy moss. He was breathing deeply, and she could see the discomfort on his face. She started to unlace his boots which drew his attention. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Well, I'm going to check your leg. Also, you should let me see your shoulder," Hermione announced as her hands yanked off his wet boots.

His socks were sticking to his skin and she gingerly removed them. His feet appeared to be alright, but his ankle on his right was swollen. "You're bleeding," he remarked, sitting up and rubbing her arm.

"I'll take care of my injuries in a moment," she murmured, reaching for the first aid kit.

"Can you help me get these jeans off? I'm gonna chafe like no one's business and rather not suffer," he grumbled as he unbelted himself with one hand.

Hermione complied and put them out next to her soaked clothing. She went into the first aid kit and pulled out an ace bandage, carefully wrapping his ankle. The woman didn't notice that Charlie was watching her in the dim light with wonder and shock as she did this with such a level head. His ankle was taken care of, and she moved on to his shoulder, removing his torn shirt.

The woman crawled around to his back to see the large gash and the swelling. It was not the most ideal spot, but she cleaned and bandaged it before pulling off her own ripped shirt. Fashioning a sling for him out of the fabric, Hermione placed it over his neck, slipping his arm inside of it.

"There," she sighed. "Now, I have some Advil that I'll give to you after you eat a few biscuits." Hermione declared, handing him two cookies.

Charlie nibbled at one of them and frowned. "Why did you make a sling from your shirt?" he inquired as she tended to her arm.

"My shirt had less tearing. It's easier to make a sling from a more giving fabric as well. I'm going to use yours to wrap over my bandages in case we have to swim again. The tape will get waterlogged and fall off, but a tight shirt will remain. I was going to wrap your ankle with some too."

"How are you so prepared?"

Hermione didn't answer at first as she tied off a piece of the shirt around her arm with her teeth and her other hand. The woman applied the same delicacy to his ace bandage, covering it with the maroon fabric. "When I was in Africa I was left stranded by a few male villagers who didn't want me there. If it weren't for my fear of that in the first place, I would have likely died out there. From then on I prepare for the worst."

Charlie chanced a smile before taking the pills she offered. "If I had to be stuck with anyone down here, I'm glad it was you."

"Me too, Charlie. Now, let's get you settled in for a bit of rest," she sighed, pulling out the heat blanket.

"Take off those soaked pants and join me. We can decide what to do when we recover."

Hermione shook her head. "We won't have light for long, and I need to find us at least some wood." She responded with a pout.

"I'm not asking you, Hermione. I'm telling you. Lay down with me and relax a bit before we take another stride to getting out of here."

The curly-haired woman groaned but yanked off her belt and pants before untying her boots. When she was down to her knickers, Hermione grabbed the silvery blanket and tossed it over them as he yanked her to his body. She didn't realize that her body was shivering until he wrapped them tighter and her skin ran against his flesh.

After a time, her body felt warm as he wrapped his good arm under her head, running his fingers through her damp locks. It didn't take long for her eyes to droop and her mind went blank. Sleep. She just needed a bit of rest.

* * *

Hermione stirred and felt Charlie's hand on her back. They had rolled over in sleep, and she was splayed across his rather furry freckled chest. Her body felt sore and heavy and knew she hadn't been sleeping too long. However, the worry was that if they were going to deal with the night, they needed to have more things together.

The woman ran her fingers along Charlie's ribs as she contemplated getting up. He grumbled and chuckled. "Mm, that tickles, love."

"Charles," Hermione murmured.

"Nope, I'm not going to open my eyes. I'm imaging we are on a beach and doing anything but lost in a cave," He exhaled, running his fingers along her spine.

"What do you like to drink?" Hermione questioned, pressing her cheek to his chest, letting her fingers wander in his chest hair.

"A nice ale. A spicy liquor. A smooth aged whiskey. Anything really as long as it goes down well and the company is great," Charlie murmured.

"Well, if you like I'll go looking for some," she teased.

Charlie laughed as his fingers went into her hair. "You know, I thought about it. I thought about the funeral after what you said this morning. Did you and my brother have an affair of sorts? Nothing sexual, just some sort of emotional one?"

"No, nothing like that," Hermione mumbled. "He just let me be a mess and bared witness to it for me. Offering me the silent companionship on nights I couldn't fight the dreams. He was the only thing tangible at that time."

"He was a good man. I miss him at times. I love Georgie and the rest of my siblings, but his loss left a hole in us. Ron would never have acted that way."

"Charlie, is that why you didn't come home?" Hermione asked with a nervous tone.

Charlie sat up just enough to look down at her. "I was horrible and selfish. I mourned all on my own. I felt so ashamed even to make an appearance because I didn't take care of them, Hermione. Bill had to do it all on his own, and I know he feels like I'm a fuck off for it."

Hermione pressed her chin to his chest while shaking her head. "Everyone mourns differently. I hate the person Ron turned into, but it was his choice. Just as Ginny chose to lean on Harry and made them better all the more for it."

His thumb found her cheek and ran along it. "Well, how did you?"

"I didn't. I didn't allow myself. I had to take care of everyone else and took that job seriously. It was the only thing that kept me sane during that period. I took a break from school and stayed with your parents, trying desperately to coax your mother and father from their darkness."

"You are better than me in so many ways, Hermione. I don't know how you do it," He whispered.

Hermione giggled, shaking her head. "I'm just me, Charles. Now, I need to check and see if we can go somewhere other than this cavern."

He pulled her closer and paused his motion. "Let me?" he inquired.

The woman's eyes grew slightly. It was tender and intimate for the moment that proceeded it. Hermione jerked away from him and crawled from the blanket. "I will be back, you just relax." She mumbled, snatching up the flashlight and her boots.

His eyes traced her form as she was tying her boots. The woman was stunning with her tanned skin against the lavender knickers she was wearing. Neither were going to put on their wet clothes in this humid environment, but it did give an advantage. Charlie got to examine her body without the bulky shirts or jumpers.

Hermione had scars along her sides and a faded scar written in jagged letters over her torso. He wanted to spend the time to read it, but her bent form would not grant it to him in the dim light. "You work out?" he questioned finally as she tied her last boot.

She snorted, shaking her head. "No, hardly. Can't you tell with my thighs?" she snickered patting the lovely columns.

"They look great," he insisted and winced as he sat up further.

She waved him off and exhaled. "I won't go far. I will check the water when I get back. I'm hoping since it's running it might be drinkable," Hermione declared with a nod.

Charlie watched her wander off further down, following the river with the flashlight. He scrunched his nose up and put his good arm behind his back as he rested on the ground. What were they going to do? Trust. He just needed to trust that she could handle this too.


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione was walking next to the river and shining the flashlight around, attempting to find something, anything. It gave her time to think about their predicament. They were trapped in a cave, probably half a mile from the cave above. She couldn't travel up because there was a drop, so the only way to find a way out would be down. All water eventually leads to the lake or another large body of water. It wouldn't be running if it had a place to fill.

At least those were her beliefs that she started doubting when it looked smaller and smaller. The tunnel just shrunk. She wasn't going to die in a fucking cave. Did she live through all that horrible moments to end here? No, she wouldn't accept that.

"Okay," she huffed, nearly collapsing on this plan.

Her feet tripped, and she fell against the cave wall, scraping her arse cheek roughly. "Fuck," she hissed, rubbing it. She was pitifully glaring at the scenery captured in the light's range when she saw it. A shimmer on the edge of her view. Forgetting about her bruised ego, she crawled over to the glimmer and saw it was a small jagged hole.

Hermione pressed to the wall and squinted her eyes so she could look through the quarter size opening. There wasn't a whole lot of light, but enough to see another area. It was a break in the odd darkness and held lush greenery. There was a waterfall with a small lake. Well, it was a start.

The woman glanced around for a large rock and found a favorable one. Smacking the wall a few times, it cracked and crumbled, rolling rocks and stones in front of her and into the large area. "Easy enough," she sighed to herself.

Sticking her body through the small opening, she saw fallen logs and a few things they could use for a fire. Well, that solved two of their immediate problems. Quite possibly maybe there was more to this part of the cave. Hermione exhaled and started her trek back to her partner. The woman silently hoped that Charlie could at least make it so they could get fresh air and some sleep tonight.

When she was approaching the place Hermione left Charlie, the image was unforgettable. There was this hulking man, standing buck naked with the glowstick in his hand, raising it to the ceiling of the cave. His back was to her, and she nearly dropped her flashlight in surprise. Worse yet, he noticed her because of the flickering light and turned his face back toward her.

The woman stood there silent as the nude man stifled a smirk. "Find anything favorable?" he questioned.

"Charles, put your skivvies back on," Hermione grumbled, averting her eyes.

"I was looking at the build up on the cave. It seems this was part of the ice age with the mineral build up in here," He mused as he reached for his boxers.

"Why are you naked?" she huffed, turning her back.

"Well, if you had hanging flesh that was too moist, you would do the same," He retorted.

Hermione exhaled and rolled her neck. "Are you at least decent?"

"Yeah, yeah, they're on. I've never seen a woman so scared of cock before in my life," he mumbled as she turned around.

"I'm not afraid of your appendage," she grumbled, reaching for the pack on the ground. "I merely don't want to see it. It would be similar to me standing starks in a cave," she said with a nod as she shouldered the bag.

"Now, if you were standing starks in a cave, I would ask what deity I should worship for my good fortune," he teased, snatching the clothing off the floor.

Hermione pursed her lips in reply and pulled him over her shoulder. "Come on, Charles, we have to make it to the next area," she murmured.

His stumbling wasn't as bad as they trekked silently. Hermione wouldn't have minded if they didn't end on such an odd note. It was making the wheels in her brain turn on a different front as they journeyed down the cave.

"Yes, it was a compliment," he responded to her silent question.

"I'm not pretty, Charlie," Hermione whispered.

The man just shook his head and shrugged his free shoulder. "I think you look fantastic. If we weren't in a life-threatening situation, I would be happy to demonstrate the proper way."

"Proper way?" Hermione groaned, shaking her head. "You're a cad."

"Cad I may be, but a liar I am not," He moaned as they stumbled through the narrowing tunnel.

"What? Shag me like your little brother wants to so desperately he's willing to sneak into my hotel room. Or better yet, nearly grope me when I'm trying to shake myself from a nightmare? How hysterical? Let's make the miserable know-it-all feel that much more disconnected," Hermione snapped and buttoned her lips; she said too much.

Charlie jerked from her grasp and glared in the low light of the flashlight. "He did what? Has he no respect for human decency?" He growled in a deadly tone.

Hermione pressed herself against the arched wall and exhaled. "It's silly. I know he wouldn't ever do anything to me. I just am being an over-reactor as Ginny says," she grumbled.

"I would never do anything like that," Charlie sighed, letting go of his anger.

Hermione chewed her bottom lip and looked down at the floor. "I know. Charlie, I'm not normal, and I never will be. It's just easier to keep people at a distance. I have scars to prove that it will never leave me."

He reached over for the flashlight and turned it to her form gently. The word was unmistakable. 'Mudblood' was etched across her lower stomach in jagged lettering. It was decorated with slashing scars and what seemed to be cigarette burns. "Hermione, can we talk about it?"

"No," she said flatly as she snagged the light back. "I don't talk about it with anyone." Her colder demeanor returned as she wrapped his arm around her shoulder. They manipulated through the small space until Charlie had to hunch behind Hermione and lean his weight on her. The light from the break in the wall was up ahead, and it surprised him.

Had she broken through to this hidden lake? "This is different," he grumbled as she helped him through the tight hole.

He lost his balance as he shifted around the opening and fell into her. Charlie knocked her over into the rocks, knocking the air from her chest. "Charles," she squeezed out under him.

Charlie scrambled off of her and helped her sit up. "Are you alright?" he gasped, checking her back.

There were scrapes along her torso. "I'm fine, it's alright," she huffed, motioning to climb off the gravel.

"You don't look fine," He said as he twisted himself from the ground.

"As you can see, I have suffered far worse," she huffed as she rose from the ground.

He gathered the backpack and fallen flashlight, glancing around the area. It was clear it was a sunken cave. The walls were far too high up and blanketed with vegetation, trees towering above the opening. There was a lip of the cave that seemed smooth with the dirt away from the rocks and lake. "Over there," he suggested with a gesture of his slung arm.

Hermione bobbed her head and braced the man against her, helping him amble toward their destination. The woman was unreasonably quiet as they settled into the space. She assisted him to sit and immediately got to work on walking around the opening. Charlie was watching with knitted brows as she gathered sticks and good sized logs, bringing them back to their area.

He didn't interrupt her work as she then gathered stones and large rocks, encircling the wood. If he could say he was surprised, he would have, but she had a knack of survival, so it seemed. Digging through the bag, pulling out their wet clothing and other items, she grabbed the matches and lighter. The process was fascinating for him as he observed her getting the small campfire going.

"You're more talented than you let anyone know," He murmured as she stretched out their clothes near the fire on a more massive log she brought over.

Hermione waved him off. "No, I just am prepared."

The woman was still distant after her confession, and it strained the situation. Hermione knew she didn't know how to handle it. She went to the lake and waved the flashlight against the water. There was no sign of life other than algae and fallen branches and plants. Frowning at the predicament, she tried to decide how to sterilize water.

"Don't worry about it," Charlie called out. "We'll find some soon."

"We have to figure out how to get clean water," Hermione sighed with a head shake.

"Come sit down, the sun will be fading, and we need to relax a bit," Charlie murmured as she shifted on the sand.

Hermione pouted and sighed as she noted his stern expression. The woman stomped over and sunk to the ground next to him. It was difficult for her to admit that she just had to stop. The flames from the fire helped warm her skin, and that realization helped settle her some. It was so severe to think they had to stay instead of press on to find a way out.

"I remembered you," Charlie mumbled, causing her to glance over at him.

"What?"

Charlie waved his good hand and exhaled. "At Christmas. Years ago, you looked about the same. The only difference was your eyes. They held less pain then. I thought you were shacking up with my little brother and I couldn't figure out how someone like him snagged a swotty girl like you."

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "No, he ignored me. Awkwardly so," she said tucking her knees to her chest. "Harry and I were close until he started dating Ginny. We still are, but it isn't like it was. He wants me to be in love with Ron and find family in the Weasleys as he did. It's just too hard to go there and see ghosts of what life was before then."

Charlie bobbed his head and pursed his lips. "I haven't seen my mum in years. I'm sure that I'm the family disappointment. I couldn't even come home and be there for them. I was so torn up that my younger brother died and I couldn't remember the last thing I said to him."

Hermione snorted. "I do," she murmured and tilted her head. "I was supposed to be asleep in the sitting room with a book in my lap, and you were heading out before everyone else woke up. I heard you coming down the stairs, and Fred was with George in the kitchen working on their latest concept. They walked you out to the front door, and you patted their shoulders. I could hear it. 'A man is not defined by his presence but his actions. I love you, brothers. Keep working hard.'"

The redhead sat there and ducked his head down, hiding behind his damp hair. "I'm glad that we had that," he murmured.

"I liked that. It was the redeeming quality I noted about you. I really had no exposure to you; you avoided Harry and me" Hermione said turning to him.

"I wasn't avoiding you and Harry. You were just asking me questions about my profession, and I grew uncomfortable, so I avoided you."

"Why?"

"Pretty little girls don't ask paleontologists about bones," he growled with a scowl.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Not everyone wants to sleep with you."

"No, that's true," he responded, shifting his posture.

"Oh," Hermione mumbled as her cheeks tinted. "You meant me."

Charlie rolled his eyes and waved his hand. "Not everyone wants to sleep with you, Hermione," he mocked.

Hermione snorted and flung her back to the sand. "Of course, that's what I've been telling you."

"If we get out of here alive, I'll take you out to dinner," Charlie grumbled. "It's the least I could do for you saving my life."

"When we get out of this," she paused and glared over at him. "I will accept your offer."

Charlie glanced around the cave and squinted his eyes at the opening. "What do you think caused that big ole hole? Couldn't be natural, there's too much irregular spiraling up to the opening."

"Maybe one of your giant flying dinosaurs you showed me. They get to be the size of skyscrapers as you have pointed out," Hermione mused as she waved her hand in the air.

Charlie scowled over at her laying on the sand. "You were listening to me?"

"Of course I was. Not every day someone is showing you creatures you never imagined existed. Logic may be a sound go to for me, but I still dream," she sighed heavily.

They sat a moment and Charlie gazed at the opening. It was so far away, yet so impactful. "Do you think we will find a way out tomorrow? I'm sure Ginny is in fits. If they haven't skinned my younger brother yet, they will soon."

Hermione hummed and dug in her backpack, yanking out the nut blend. "Mhm, we will. Then I'm going on a vacation to somewhere warm and nowhere near caves," she murmured pulling out a handful.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" he inquired with a tilt of his head.

"You will anyway so fire away," she mumbled after swallowing.

"Did you ever think of marriage and children in your younger years? I hear ladies speak about it all the time. College girls that come from uni all about settling down and breeding."

Hermione shifted, and her lips tugged from one side of her face to the other in thought. "Well, that's what we are designed to do as creatures. Find a partner with common emotional and physical attributes to our design and copulate. The whole social aspect has been pushed for women to desire that from the beginning of time. Psychological influences of biological need and social acceptance. I almost got married before my attack. Ron was up in arms about him. Football star with a contract in Bulgaria."

"So you want them then? The farmhouse with the mass amount of children that you will likely homeschool?"

She gazed over at him with a knitted brow and noted his confusion. "That thought never occurred to you? To settle down and enjoy domestic life?"

He shrugged his shoulders, and his lips fell into a pout. "I didn't realize I was missing much. I spent years pouring over bones and shagging women adjacent to my field of study. I never touched on the concept of a family since I left it behind."

"We should discuss your conflict. It is a good revelation for you. Why did you decide to leave your family behind for a profession that clearly induces loneliness and solitude?" Hermione asked before popping in a few more nuts into her mouth.

"A calling?" He questioned with a smile.

The curly-haired woman tossed him the plastic bag and snorted. "Callings are like claiming God sent you here."

Charlie frowned and tilted his head. "You don't believe in God?"

"God and I have some things we need to work out," Hermione grumbled as she waved her hand.

"Don't let my mother hear you saying that. She is a bible thumper," Charlie teased as he pulled out the almonds from the mix.

"Well, I believe that God has more important things to do than to worry about writing out an agenda for everyone. If there is one, they likely are more concerned with how we treat each other and the earth than how many bloody times I say fuck."

Charlie's grin grew, and he bobbed his head. "Yes, I have to agree with you on that. Who was your best shag?"

Hermione snorted and turned on the sand. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes, actually I would. If we are going to be stuck down here together, we mind as well shed some baggage," Charlie responded with a motion of agreement. "There was this one bird. She stayed with us for a year and left about six months ago. She and I enjoyed digging together and quite a few other activities, but you know what? I don't even think I remember how her laugh sounds. That has to mean something."

Hermione grimaced and shook her head as her body slumped against the ground. "It does. Like it or not, Charles, you haven't met a woman who satisfies a need you have buried for whatever reason. A need for intimacy."

He tossed the bag over and flopped on his back. "Now that sounds like psychobabble if I've ever heard it before."

Hermione twirled a finger in the air. "Call it what you will, but someone hurt you a long time ago, and now you just bury it deep down. Maybe all that digging for bones is really a cry out for someone to go digging for your skeletons in your closet. They're always harder to face alone."

"I'll make you a deal, Hermione. You stop trying to guess about things like this, and I will stop imagining you out of your knickers," Charlie growled with a sharp tone.

"Deflection," she grumbled, hiding her blush by toying with her hair.

"Maybe, but at least I get my knob wet every so often," he huffed as he jostled his bad arm and winced.

Hermione rolled over on her stomach, looking at his rigid form. "Quality over quantity, Charles."

He closed his eyes and exhaled. "Are you always this exhausting?"

"More so, I'm just rusty," she retorted. "How about we cease fire on the personal questions for a bit, and I go looking for another tunnel?"

He motioned agreement as he pinched his brow. "Yes, despite how much I hate that you have to go looking without me, it's probably better if we check before nightfall."

"Alright," Hermione said with a nod, climbing off the ground. "I won't go far."

Charlie just rocked his head with his eyes closed. "Don't get hurt."

"I promise, I won't," Hermione responded before snatching the flashlight up and beginning her search again.


	8. Chapter 8

Charlie was on a beach, sipping some sort of beer. It was divine, and the heat warmed his damp flesh. Out at the ocean, he saw her lovely form skirting the edge of the water, something in her hands. She had on an elegant robe or throw, something that blared white in the sun. Nearly shimmering, she walked up to him lounging and offered her enclosed hands to him. "Guess what I found, Charles?" Hermione questioned with a grin.

"What's that, goddess of the ocean?"

Opening her fingers, she revealed a small lizard. "Look, it has wings," she murmured with a tilt of her head.

The animal was magnificent with emerald scales and a long hooked snout. He maneuvered off the sand to examine the creature further, causing the little animal to spread its leathery wings and wail. "Seems a bit protective, doesn't it?"

"Well, you're the scale's king, what do you think it is?" Hermione asked as the animal craned its neck toward her.

He grinned wildly as she sunk to the sand in front of him. "A baby, that's what. Where did you find him anyway?"

Hermione nudged her head in the direction down the shoreline to a cliff. "He was waiting for us," she suggested.

The small flying lizard screeched and fluttered from her hand, landing on their abandoned blanket. It curled up against his shirt, and smoke rings flowed above him. "Well, seems he's found himself a spot."

The woman crawled on her hands and knees across the pristine grains toward him. Her smile was wicked and bright as she maneuvered into his lap. "I suppose if we did indeed adopt a dragon, we should relish the time we have while he's small. You know how children are," she purred as her fingers skated his pale skin.

A simple roll of her hips as their lips met caused him to groan and rise to the occasion. This was paradise, and he was confident he could enjoy its perks.

"Charles, wake up," Hermione's voice was but a whisper.

Charlie shuddered and flung himself back to consciousness with a difficult start. He jutted forward in a groan as pain shot up his neck. It was nearly dark aside from the flames licking light around the room. Hermione's expression was apologetic as she sat next to him on the ground.

"I didn't mean to startle you," she murmured, touching his uninjured arm.

"I dozed off," he grumbled, rubbing his face. "Where have you been?"

Her lips pursed as she exhaled. "I found a tunnel, and it led me down a ways. When I got to the end, I located an exit. However, we have to climb up a ridge. It was too dark by the time I got there, and I am freezing," she sighed.

He reached over for the heat blanket he must have shoved off in his sleep and tilted his head. "Come on down here and warm up." Hermione frowned at him but did as he commanded, curling next to his form. She pulled the silvery cover over them, and Charlie yanked the woman closer when he rested on the ground. "Body heat," he suggested when Hermione glared up at him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Just sore, I'll be fine," he affirmed as his fingers skated her chilled skin.

"The cave was quite large like the area we fell from. Circular with that blue color. I couldn't get the greatest look at it because the flashlight was dying." Hermione mumbled as she pressed her chin to his chest.

"We'll make a torch from your knickers," he taunted with a smile.

"Don't be such a bastard, Charlie," Hermione said as she smacked his chest lightly.

The redhead chuckled and sighed. "I won't. You might leave me behind if I do."

Hermione ran her fingers over his sternum and exhaled. "Charlie, why did you decide to dig for bones? What is the real reason?"

"Well, I was fascinated with the idea that dinosaurs were so large and fierce, but so very distinct. A world of scales and feathers. Did you know velociraptors were only the size of turkeys?"

Hermione shook her head. "I had no idea."

"Yeah, it's pretty crazy. Their name means speedy thief," he murmured, running his fingers on her skin.

"That's quite interesting," Hermione said with a smile. "What do you hate most about your career?"

"The loneliness. You develop bonds and your own family of sorts out here, but it does get quiet at night. Women are not truly interested in shagging or sticking around in this field of work. You learn to turn that side of yourself off."

"What happened that you just never wanted that?" She questioned with a scowl.

Charlie exhaled and arched an eyebrow. "I could ask you the same question. What happened that you just don't want that, Hermione?"

She tucked closer to him and sighed. "After what happened, it was difficult to open up and be intimate. To feel…" she trailed off with a grimace. "Safe."

"There was more than the scarring?" Charlie's voice was timid.

Hermione rocked her head. "Yes, but it could have been worse. I could have died. It's just when you see the worst in humans; it's hard to be vulnerable again."

"So you get into how humans work socially so you can do what? Find out what makes them bad and try to fix it?"

"No, so I can help other women find their voice and strength," she murmured with pursed lips.

Charlie bent forward enough to kiss her forehead and sighed. "I'm sorry that happened to you. No woman should ever fear for her life because men believe they are allowed to act that way."

She pulled from him enough to gaze at his face. "Charlie," she started, but his hand touched her cheek.

"Can I? Even if we leave this cave and you want nothing to do with me after. Can I at least kiss you?" he whispered.

She nipped at her bottom lip and nodded. That was all he needed to see and closed the distance between them. Her lips were parted in the fraction of a second before his met them. It was that pooling heat in his abdomen that he felt earlier, but so much more. It was as if every cell in his body was zipping about in elation as she whimpered and welcomed his patient tongue into her mouth.

Heat. Scorching flame. All of those sizzling descriptions of a wistful moment of passion without the frenzied need. He had no desire to pushing the delicious woman into anything she couldn't bear; he only wanted this. A kiss that made his cheeks warm and his chest flutter.

Hermione must have felt similar because she kept moving closer. Her fingertips were cautiously running up his shoulders. They skirted his neck and into his hair with remarkable elegance. It wasn't until she was nearly straddling him that they parted, panting and blinking in shock at each other.

"Well," she cleared her throat. "That was nice," Hermione attempted as she motioned to pull away.

"Very, thank you," Charlie said, letting his hand fall away from her back.

Her hands swooped around to his cheeks, and she frowned. "Maybe we should try for some sleep?"

Charlie chuckled and hemmed. "In a little bit here. You had my blood pumping."

"Well, I suppose," she started as she sat on her calves in front of him. "Maybe we shouldn't talk about this," she declared finally as she averted her gaze from the redhead.

"Why not? Did you enjoy yourself?" Charlie inquired with a tilt of his head.

Hermione groaned. "Charles, I am not going to pat you on the back for being a good snogger."

"Okay," he said with a smirk.

"Charles," she huffed with a pout.

"I'm not asking you to shag me. I'm a cripple with one arm. Besides, I know you won't have anywhere to run if we do and you wouldn't want to talk about it."

Hermione tilted her head as she gazed over at the dark part of the cavern. "You don't want that kind of baggage that comes from it. A kiss is far easier to ignore than that."

"What if I don't want to ignore it? Why would I want to ignore the woman that will single-handedly save our lives down here? You saved my life, Hermione. That does give you a bit more importance than a girl obsessed with bones."

She glanced over at him, and her eyebrows scrunched in thought. "We couldn't anyway," she murmured tossing her hair behind her.

"Fair enough," he said with a nod.

"Not that I would object," she responded with a guilty expression. "It's just that I haven't, you know," she finished with bright cheeks.

"You don't have a rubber is what you're suggesting?" he teased with a grin. "Always my luck. The girl that's prepared for everything didn't pack protection."

His attempt at lightening the mood worked because Hermione cast her face to the ceiling and laughed loudly. "It is rather silly isn't it?" she asked as her eyes returned to him.

"The silliest," he responded with a boyish smirk.

"Despite your barbaric wardrobe and your flexibility with nudity, I do find you charming, Charlie," she declared with a smile.

"Charming enough to give me another one of those show stoppers?" he asked while waggling his eyebrows.

Hermione pinched her smile into something rather cute as she climbed over his form. Her arms slithered over his body as her chilly knees squeezed his waist. Charlie closed the gap between them and met her lips, this time placing a bit more dominance in the kiss. It was wild and exotic for him to feel the curvy woman shudder and moan into his mouth. She held a magnetism that had his body in her gravitational pull.

It was heady and full of desire as she squeezed him with her legs and sighed as his fingers gripped her back. He wanted more! Charlie was reduced to mental contemplation if it was worth chancing. At this point, it seemed like a better idea than a horrible one. Hermione might have been in the same thought process because she rocked against his stiffened appendage with evident greed.

There wasn't much he could recall as an agreed plan. It was like neither one wanted to think about it. Her hand went between them as they broke their kiss as she panted to regain breath only to return to his mouth and touch him through the stifling fabric. He assisted in freeing himself with his hand and without little recourse, pawed at the purple knickers in his way. With an unfortunate tear, they were disposed of down her leg.

Her hand guided him to the moist center he didn't realize he craved. She was soaked, and the lubrication made the entry that much easier. Hermione pulled away from his lips to gasp, her eyes wide with shock. "Easy does it," he whispered as his hand returned to her back.

She had the control. Charlie most certainly did not mind taking a back seat. In fact, she was so tight; he was starting to worry about if this was a good idea or not. At least until she eased herself onto him fully. Then like a burst of unfiltered ecstasy in an IV drip, he was lost to his pleasure. Their sounds of agreement and moans echoed off the cave walls and up into the trees above. How in the bloody fuck was he going to ever say no to this woman ever again? She could have him begging at her bedside for scraps after this.

Hermione rolled her hips in a magical dance; not something you can teach by any means. Her fingers ran across his skill with nails dragging firm lines. Her core was squeezing him so snugly he couldn't help but to pull and tug. Charlie was going to be undone by her in moments if they continued their intimate showdown. Her mouth returned to his, and he felt her shudder, so his hand found its way between them so he could assist.

The woman rocked herself to Eden. Clinging to him, she tore away from his mouth and sang into the darkness. He wrapped his arm around her enough to pull the enchantress from him and with a mild disappointment. Well, until one of her hands snaked its way down his body and gripped him. Like dynamite, he went off once she squeezed and massaged his needy limb.

"Well," Charlie huffed as he recovered.

Hermione smirked and tilted her head. "Actually that was better than I thought it could have been, Charlie."

"Make fun of the cripple all you like, Hermione. I have nothing awful to say to that."

She winced as she climbed off his legs and groaned. "That was the first time in years."

Charlie grimaced at the state of the sand below him as he shifted himself back into his boxers. "I haven't done skin on skin in near a decade."

Hermione yanked the fabric from around her ankle and sighed. "We most certainly can't talk about this when we get out, alright?"

He watched her walk over to the knickers laying on the log and placed them on. "Well, if you say so, I won't."

She glanced back at him with a nod. "Thank you. I don't need your brother trying to pull blows over this."

He exhaled and climbed off the ground. "Well, if that's the hidden agreement to it, then I am bound to follow."

Hermione went over to the abandoned backpack and pulled out the pouch. She must have found water earlier because it was full. She uncapped it and swigged a few times before bringing it over to Charlie. He took the offer and drank from it before returning it to her hand. The woman closed it up and smiled up at him. "Thank you, Charlie. I forgot how nice that was."

He winced as he attempted to move his shoulder and she padded back over to the bag, pulling out another little package. She pranced over with a biscuit and the packet of Advil from the first aid kit. The redhead wanted to talk about what just happened, but knew he wouldn't get anything from her. She had already shifted from their powerful moment and onto the next imperative thing; getting him out of discomfort.

He ate the cookie in silence before taking the pills she handed to him. Hermione gave him the water back so he could swig down the capsules. "Hermione," Charlie murmured.

"Yes, Charles?" she inquired as she placed the half-full pouch in the bag.

"Are we going to address this?" he asked with a frown.

Hermione nodded slowly as she glanced over at him. "We will, just not tonight. Let's shelf it until we get out of this cave, alright? I don't usually do things like that," she responded before biting her bottom lip.

"Okay, but when we get back to my place, I want to talk, alright?" he questioned with a stern expression.

"That is fair. I promise we will," she said with a nod. The curvy woman crossed the area and grabbed the silvery blanket off the ground. "For now, let's sleep so we can get out of here in the morning."

Charlie motioned agreement and slumped on the ground, closer to the fire. Hermione crawled next to him and wrapped her body closer to the freckled man. "You do have freckles everywhere," she remarked with a small laugh.

He grinned, running his good hand over her hair. "I do indeed. Good night, Hermione."

"Good night, Charlie," she declared as her cheek rested against his chest.


	9. Chapter 9

When the curly-haired woman surfaced from her sleep, she heard the birds singing from far above them. The body below her rose and fell in a steady pattern as she swam from the sleepy brain and odd dreams she was having. Her nails traced the curly hair close to her cheek as Hermione rested in silent thought.

Last night happened? Oh, god. What was she going to do if he did mention it? It wasn't like it was a horrible thing, but it did lead to complications. There was indeed no future with the paleontologist. He loved his bones and digging. Shagging doesn't lead to marriage; she knew this. However, it wasn't just that was it? She tried to convince herself it was, but she knew better.

Hermione indeed found a different side of him in this cave. The gentle and charming man that was under the surface of his rough texture. Maybe it was always there she just couldn't see it entirely without the doubt of his scaly skin and unusual behavior.

"I will be happy to take a real shower after yesterday," Charlie grumbled, startling her from her thoughts.

"Oh, yes, me too," Hermione grumbled as she stretched.

Charlie gazed down at her as she turned her face to him. "Good morning, love. I wouldn't have interrupted your thoughts if we weren't wasting daylight just lying here."

The woman flexed over his chest a bit more and pressed her chin down as she stared at him. "Charles, are you ready to get up?"

"Not really, can we just wave a magic wand and get out of here? I'm sore as fuck," he huffed with a contorted expression.

"Unfortunately we don't have one. How about this; we get up and throw on our jeans so we can get out of this cave. You're going to have to help me navigate once we're out. I don't know this area at all."

He pulled her closer and grumbled. "Hermione, you are a bloody saint," he huffed before kissing her forehead and motioning to sit up.

She followed suit, and they sat looking at each other a moment. "Do you think we're far from camp?" Hermione questioned, glancing away from him.

"We're likely at the base of the other side of the mountain. There are caves that get snowed over in the winter. We tend to stay away from the busy part of the mountain due to landslides."

Hermione stood up and walked over to the clothing, yanking her rigid jeans on her body. Charlie watched her back flex and move as she pulled them on, covering the delectable skin he enjoyed seeing so much. "Hey, I have a wild idea," he declared.

"What's that?" she questioned picking up his pair.

"When we get back, let's eat a giant steak. I'm fucking starving," Charlie growled with a sigh.

She pivoted toward him with a broad smile. "Mhm, with a side of chips and a nice green salad," Hermione responded, tossing his pants at him.

He groaned as he attempted to pull the fabric over his legs. "Come help me, darlin'? I can't get these on," Charlie said as he stood up.

Hermione padded over and bent in front of him to help sort the issue out. The man gazed longingly down at her bent form, tracing the line of her spine toward her jeans. A bit of finagling she was able to pull the waist up and over his hips, buttoning the front. Her eyes ran over his naturally toned torso with wide eyes. He could see her question plainly; did I really shag that?

He smirked with a nod. "Yes, you did. Very well in fact."

"Charlie," Hermione said with a scowl.

"I'm just answering your question. It's pleasant that someone looks at me with that type of regard. I haven't seen a woman stare at me quite like that before."

Hermione shifted her hair to one side, and a smile poked through her steely expression. "You're quite handsome; I will give you that."

"Let's go before I implore that we see how extensive that admiration goes," he teased with a grin.

Hermione bobbed her head and maneuvered to pack up; they were going to leave their little hideaway behind. Traveling was still slow and taxing, but the cave wall was easy for Charlie to use as assistance as they ambled down the tunnel around the waterfall. It was a quiet journey and Hermione was thankful; she needed time to process what had happened in twenty-four hours.

The woman had told him things about herself she rarely revealed to anyone. She couldn't figure out if it were because this experience was scary and she felt she needed someone to know her true self just in case they died. Or that possibly she just felt that comfortable with the Weasley. Nothing was certain yet.

They stumbled into the large room with the dying flashlight, and the pair gasped. "Woah," Charlie murmured as he glanced at the ceiling.

Above them was a glittery ceiling that caught the light from the opening at the ridge. It was like staring at a rainbow that cut itself up among stars. Charlie strolled along the side of the cave and scowled deeply at the grooves. "It was molded, wasn't it?" Hermione asked, flashing the dim light toward him.

"It sure looks like it, but nothing I've never seen. How odd," Charlie breathed, running his fingers over the blueish stone.

"Question, what is this?" Hermione asked as she walked over to a giant rock pile.

Charlie tilted his head as he wandered over with a hopping pace. His fingers ran over the rocks with interest as he noted the dark tone to them. "Isn't that interesting? That looks like carbon," he noted as he gazed at the pile.

Hermione bent down and flashed the light through the creases in the rocks. "Charlie, something is in there."

That struck a cord of decision in the man. He shifted the smaller rocks off the pile and gingerly made sure it was stable enough to go digging. Whoever was here before, left something behind. Charlie reached down inside the hole, and his hand took purchase of something rounded. His blood was whistling in his head as he tried to pry it from its shield.

The item grew loose, and he fell backward in a huff, his arse taking the brunt of the fall. Charlie groaned and winced as he squirmed, looking at the object in his hand. It was caked in what looked like fossilized mud and grime. This was something different…

"Hermione," he whispered.

She blinked at him on the ground, surprise that he had something nearly as large as a basketball in his lap. "What is it, Charles? Is it something important?"

"Yes," his breath hitched and scratched at the hardened object. "This, you see the color of this dirt? Something covered it years ago, and that's why its pale. This was purposeful and quite intricate."

"Like cavemen?" Hermione questioned with a frown.

The man shook his head and grinned wildly. "I'd have to test it, but it could be very well before that. This looks like, well, I don't want to jump the gun, but it looks like we might have found an egg of the beasties that made those footprints."

"How did it last this long without being disturbed?" Hermione asked, gazing up at the ridge.

Charlie sniffed the air and scowled. "It smells like stale gas in here. Possibly as a deterrent. Also, that cave entrance could have easily been broken recently with our excavating."

Hermione bent over the opened pile and frowned at the inside of it. "Can we break this apart and see if there's any indication?"

Charlie bobbed his head, setting aside the large mudstone. He scooted over to the pile and started helping her with the stones. Once they peeled it apart, the extent of the inside was revealed. There was a flat base that was covered in the same grime. The only thing remarkable about the whole thing was that none of it covered the other stones. It was some hidden treasure, Charlie was sure of it.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, kneeling next to him on the ground.

"I'm not sure, but it could be something important. The theory could be a protective concept for a nest if it is, in fact, one. However, I've never seen this before. We'll have to bring this heavy fucker back with us."

Hermione pulled her bag off her back and opened it. "Well, we can wrap it in the blanket."

Charlie motioned agreement and took the silvery cloth from her and wrapped it up, tying the end off, so it had a long tail to grip. Hermione took a few of the stones and placed them in her bag discreetly before sealing it off and nodding. She helped the man off the ground as they turned to the ridge. It was going to be a mission to edge their way up.

Hermione examined the climb and found a slope to parts of it, and they started their ascent. It was rough with Charlie having very little mobility, but the woman tugged and yanked him over portions of the edges so he could find his balance before they would continue. Their conversation was little outside of communicating to get up.

They found it was easier for her to hold the blanket as she wrapped it tightly around her arm, securing its safety. Charlie again was baffled at the tenacity and brilliance this woman displayed. She was compassionate and chronically assisted him in the climb. Several times causing minor injury to her back or legs if she was toppled against the rocks. A handful of those moments, he had her pinned against the wall, inspiring brief thoughts of the night before.

When they finally crested the wall, they stood there and panted through laughter. "By god's arse hairs, we made it," Charlie chuckled, gazing out at the greenery just outside the edge of the cave.

Hermione nodded as she untangled the blanket from her arm, flexing her hand. "That sucker is heavy, Charles," she murmured with a pout.

He ran his fingers over her cheek. "Hermione," he started.

She smirked and pulled away, waving him along. "Let's go see where we ended up."

Charlie exhaled as he grabbed the object in the blanket and hobbled after the woman who was raising her hands in the brightness of the sunlight. Her eyes were closed as she swiveled slightly in the light, taking in the warmth. "My god, I'm so happy to feel the sun again. I know it wasn't that long, but I never thought we were getting out of there."

He fought being enthralled by her and pressed the feelings down as he stood next to her. They were above some of the greenery and Charlie could take in the location. The river that ran into the lake was in front of them, it curved around the mountain and headed to the large body of water.

"It won't be too long of a walk back," he sighed.

"Hermione Granger!" A voice shouted into the area.

"There's only one Hermione around you twit," another voice snickered loudly.

Hermione gasped loudly and her eyes grew. "Harry! Harry!" She screamed cupping her hands around her mouth.

"Hermione?" The second voice yelled.

Hermione was nearly wriggling with anxious excitement. "William!"

About two hundred feet below them in the tree line she saw red. "Look, she's up there!" Bill's voice exclaimed.

Harry appeared in the clearly, and Hermione took off down the hill. When they met she jumped in his arms and laughed through brimming tears. "Harry! Oh, Harry! My god, I thought that was the longest night of our lives."

He chuckled and tilted his head after she finished kissing his cheeks. "Hermione, what are you blathering about? You both were gone for four days."

She snorted and climbed from his arms. "No, I only brought supplies for a couple days at max. We didn't even eat all the food."

Bill had frowned as he passed them and met his brother on the ridge. "You looked better, fucker," Bill grumbled, patting Charlie on the shoulder.

Hermione glanced between Harry and then the Weasleys. "We weren't gone for that long, tell them, Charlie."

Charlie blinked and shrugged his good shoulder. "Hermione, I couldn't tell you to be honest."

Harry hummed and pulled off his shirt. "Put this on, Hermione. The guys are waiting for us down the hill with their jeep. Ron went with the others to the other side of the mountain. We will walkie them when we get back to the car."

Hermione tugged the warm shirt on her body as Bill was helping Charlie down the hill. "What the fuck are you carrying, Char-bar?"

"A golden nugget the size of your ballocks," Charlie groaned as they stumbled next to Harry and Hermione.

Harry frowned at Charlie and scooped the woman under his arm. "I was so worried about you, Hermione," Harry huffed as they continued down the hill.

"Charlie, did you want me to take it for you?" Hermione offered as she glanced back at the Weasleys.

Charlie shook his head with a forced smile. "No, love. You saved my arse enough as it was."

"When you get back I want the medic staff to look at you, some of those scrapes look gritty," Harry sighed, running his fingers through Hermione's hair.

Bill, however was eyeing his brother through the side of his vision. "You're awfully banged up to have made it through a cave."

Charlie huffed as he pushed more of his weight against his older brother. "I wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for her. I wouldn't be alive if she wasn't there to pull me out of the water."

Harry patted Hermione's shoulder. "Good job, Hermione. You're so much smarter than I ever will be."

Hermione shook her head and sighed. "No, Harry. I was just lucky that I had brought my bag with me. We wouldn't have gone very far without it."

The Jeep came into view, and the two survivors echoed groans of relief. They were almost out of this mess. Bill watched the woman discreetly glance back at Charlie and his curiosity grew. Something happened, but he wasn't sure what. He would have to ask his brother about it later. They climbed into the Jeep, and Harry filled in Damien what happened before radioing the rest of the group.

Harry was in the front passenger seat, while Bill sat behind Damien, leaving Hermione to sit in the middle next to Charlie with the bundled silver object in his lap. When the car started to drive, she rested her head against his chest as his good arm wrapped around her. They closed their eyes and enjoyed the rocking and bumping of the vehicle as it moved. They were free again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author Notes: Wow, guys, I'm so happy that you all are enjoying the story. It will lead to so much more! I hope you all are as consumed with their evolution as well as the world around them now that they have returned.**

* * *

So many things happened at once when they arrived at the trailer. Hermione was nearly shoved into the bathroom with Ginny as she helped the woman clean up and mend the surface cuts. Ginny didn't even let her take a shower alone as she sat in there, worried and nervous.

Hermione relished the feeling of the hot water, but there was a minor anxiety that she tried to suppress. Was Charlie alright? Now that it was over, there was this nervousness that he was away from her. The woman breathed deeply in the enclosed space and felt the water trail down her body.

The steam filled the room even when the water was turned off, and Hermione reached for her towel.

"What happened down there?" Ginny finally questioned.

Hermione was thankful the curtain hid her embarrassment. "We fell, I had to perform CPR on Charlie, and we spent, what Harry says was four days, clawing our way toward that tunnel."

"It was four days. It was four long days, and I was so scared you had died in the fall, but the guys sent a camera down there and saw nothing."

The curly-haired woman pinched her expression and exhaled. "Well, it wasn't easy. Charlie was injured so we took it slow. We found a caved-in cavern with a lake and spent the night there before I found the way out."

"Harry said you were nearly naked," Ginny said carefully.

"I was more so in that cave," Hermione admitted as she dried her sore body. "Our clothes were too damp, and he needed a sling for his arm."

Silence.

Hermione continued to rid herself of the water while she knew her friend was dancing around the ideas. "Did something," Ginny paused with a breath. "Happen?"

Silence.

What was she to say? 'Yes, I fucked your brother because it sounded like a good idea.' Or better yet, 'Your brother said everything I needed to hear at that moment to seal the deal.' Neither of which sounded like a great confession. Hermione was at a loss. Truthfully, she didn't want to talk about it. It was something innate and built into the moment with him. She hadn't sorted her feeling about it out.

"So, it did. Did he force you to do anything? Was he nice about it? Hermione, please tell me something. I'm worried that you felt like you had no choice," Ginny implored.

"He was gentle and extraordinarily kind. He didn't push me into anything, Gin. I know that you're worried I lost my mind, but I was aware of what happened."

Hermione stepped out with the towel wrapped around her body. "Please tell me those scrapes were not because of him," Ginny murmured, hands over her face.

The curly-haired woman sunk down to her friend's eye level. "Gin, he would have rather died if it meant I could have lived. He trusted me more so with his life than anyone else on this planet ever has. That man looked me in the eye and told me I deserved all the respect he could give because I saved him."

The redhead gazed at her with wide eyes, her hands dropping from her face. "He did? My god, I don't know anything about my brother," she whispered.

Hermione bit her bottom lip before speaking again. "Gin, he made me feel safe. He made my broken pieces feel less," she stopped and breathed with a sad smile. "Less broken. In that cave it didn't matter what I was or who I was, it mattered what I did for him, and he honored that."

Ginny touched her friend's cheek and as her bright eyes brimmed with tears. "I thought I lost you. I thought I was going to have to go home and tell my mother that my bestest friend in the entire world and my lovely sister died with my brother. I wouldn't have recovered, ever," Ginny whimpered as her bottom lip quivered.

Hermione covered her hand and rocked her head. "I'm alive. I'm alive because I knew I had no choice but to come home and bring Charlie with me. He kept me sane down there. He let me be strong so that we could get through it together. I don't know if he did so on purpose, but he heeded to my need to be the leader so that I had a job. Without him, I don't know if I would have been able to do it."

"I was worried you were going to have an attack down there in the dark," Ginny whispered. "Worse, I was worried that you had one and couldn't climb from the darkness enough to pull it together. It kept me up at night knowing that you were in that dark place and I couldn't save you."

"I didn't even touch on it because I knew if I didn't stay together and take care of your injured brother, we wouldn't make it. He is the reason I'm alive, Gin. He is injured because he stopped me from falling when the boulders were falling into the water. It was the only way either of us were going to live. I believe that to my core."

There was a knock at the door, and it cracked open. "Gin, the doctor wants to check Hermione. Think you can give them a moment?" Harry asked.

Ginny kissed Hermione's forehead and let the woman put on some fresh knickers before leaving the room. The doctor on staff and Harry stood in the hallway. Ginny turned to see Hermione wave her off and the doctor entered, shutting the door behind him.

The Potters waited patiently in the small area, hoping that being alone with the male doctor didn't cause her any issues. It was pleasant murmuring heard through the door, and Hermione even laughed at something the man had said.

All in all the examination took a brief amount of time, and the man reappeared with a nod. "She's fine. A bit banged up, a little dehydrated and in need of a good meal, but she is perfectly fine. No severe injuries. She has to take it easy for the next two days to heal the blisters on her feet and the bruising on her torso, but all of that is wear an tear from surviving. Quite the little soldier," the older man said with a nod.

Ginny pursed her lips and exhaled. "Good, how about my brother?"

The older man scowled deeply and chewed the inside of his cheek. "I'm concerned about his fractured ankle. The injury to his shoulder is too inflamed to assume a tear, but he was damaged by the fall. Whatever angel he has, he should thank his stars that she was there with him. He wouldn't have made it without her."

"Are you going to come check on him later?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Yes, tomorrow. I gave his brother instructions about his medication. No activity for the next two days. The most to get out of bed for the restroom. He needs to keep his arm wrapped and his leg elevated."

"Thank you, Doctor," Ginny murmured.

The man excused himself, and Ginny walked into the bedroom to see Charlie throwing books at Bill. "I fucking told you I didn't do it!" Charlie hissed.

"I find it hard to believe that you didn't, Charlie," Bill retorted, dodging another book.

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

Charlie glared at the Potters and waved at them. "Ginny, go check on her, would ya?" he asked with a wince.

The redheaded woman just nodded and left, shutting the door. "I am just saying; she was watching you like a damn hawk. Did you tell her that you loved her to get into her knickers or not?" Bill growled with an intense glare.

"Jesus on a cross, why the hell would I lie to her?" Charlie huffed rubbing his face with his good hand. "She isn't some daft tart. She saved my bloody life without knowing me before now. I would never be so cruel."

Harry blinked and fixed his glasses on his nose. "Did you shag her?"

"He did," Bill answered for him.

Harry exhaled with a wince. "What happened? How?"

Charlie pouted as he scratched under his chin roughly. "The typical way, Harry. It wasn't like I just said, 'Hey girl, let's shag since we have time,' but shit happens when you're alone and living after it all."

The door swung open and Hermione walked into the room. "Out, the whole lot of you," Hermione ordered.

"Wait, Hermione, what's going on?" Bill questioned with desperation on his face.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "I understand you're trying to protect me, but I don't need it right now, William. Right now, your brother needs you to fix us food, and you all need to let us decompress and leave us alone. The last thing we should be doing is explaining anything to anyone."

Harry blinked, and his eyebrows rose above his glasses. "Hermione, are you alright?"

"No, Harry. I'm not alright. I'm tired and sore and frankly just want some silence. Now please, I'm starving and need some food. The last thing either of us needs is to pick apart what happened." She motioned to climb on the bed, and Bill scowled, causing her to glare. "William, go. We have so much time to dissect what happened down there later. For now, let it be, please?"

Bill nodded before moving toward Harry. They both gave each other a helpless expression before leaving the room and shutting the door behind them. Charlie was still pinching the bridge of his nose and clearly upset at the accusations his older brother were making. "Don't worry about him, Charles. He's just panicked. It was a big deal that I was trapped in a cave for all of them. They were looking for an answer to things they don't understand."

Charlie glanced over at her and huffed. "He was all but calling me a monster."

She tucked in next to him and shook her head. "You're not. This hit closer to home than you know," Hermione murmured running a hand over his clothed chest. "When I was tortured it wasn't just a single affair that lasted a short while. I was trapped in a dark room with them for what the report says for twelve hours. If Harry didn't get taken with me and got a message out for help, I would have died."

Charlie gazed down at her, and his face was pale from shock. "Hermione, why didn't you tell me down there. Fuck, no wonder they, god," he stumbled, nearly jerking away from her.

Her lips pinched together and her eyebrows skewed in pain. "Because of that right there. You didn't look at me as a victim in there. You treated me as a heroine," she sighed.

He touched her cheek and exhaled. "You are my savior, little book girl. The doc told me I was lucky to be alive. I have to agree with him."

"Promise me, whatever happens next you won't ever feel different? I know we live in different orbits, but that was a life-altering experience, Charlie. I wouldn't have been able to cope without you," Hermione whispered, letting a single tear trail down from her closed eyes.

He made soothing sounds as his fingers ran into her wet hair. "Come on, lay down with me. We'll have some food when it's ready, and I will sneak you one of my painkillers so you can relax with me. We don't have to jump right into the chaos."

She curled up against him and ran a hand under his shirt, touching his chest. It tugged at his heartstrings to see her miss feeling his skin. How he knew that's why she did it, he wasn't positive, but he did know that was the reason. His uninjured arm tugged her closer as his fingers skated against her shirt. It was so confusing and overwhelming to be back in his bed, but she made it feel real.

"Charles," Hermione murmured.

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Would you mind if we turned on that film again?"

He reached over with difficulty to his nightstand, grabbing the remote. Flicking on the movie, he stroked her hair and watched the opening credits. It eased them both as she listened to the sounds of the telly announcing the start of the tale. She watched the screen from down her nose and felt the heaviness of sleep. It was lovely to hear him breathing and calmed her enough to doze off into a snooze while listening to her companion's heartbeat.


	11. Chapter 11

They woke up to the smells of food and Hermione's stomach rumbled in defiance of her sluggish reaction. The woman glanced up at her partner to see him rubbing his face with his uninjured hand. He seemed more than a little preoccupied. "Charles," she started.

"Yes, love?" Charlie inquired as his eyes met hers.

"I'm going to go check on everything, alright?" Her tone was timid; a warning sign?

"How about you wait it out, Hermione? We won't be bothered if we don't announce we are awake," he suggested with half a smile.

Her eyes were pinched lightly as she nipped her bottom lip gently. "You know I must."

His rough hand was so delicate as he touched her cheek. "Why? Why can't we stay like this a little longer before you run from me? You saved my life," he murmured with such tenderness.

It tugged at Hermione's heart, causing her chest to tighten. Swallowing a few times, she leaned toward his lips and kissed them softly. "Promise me," she breathed against his mouth as they parted.

"I promise," he wasn't positive what binding oath he was taking, but she continued her motion. A moment, a touch in time. Her fingers went into his hair, and her legs surrounded his waist. He wasn't sure if he had been living before their journey in the cave together.

When her lips and tongue were her own again, Hermione smiled and brushed her thumb against his brow. "I will see about food. Just relax," she ordered with a nod.

Charlie exhaled while rocking his head. "Alright, Hermione. Please don't go far?" His tone seemed so unsure, and it crumpled her disposition a fraction.

"Come back to Britain with me?" she questioned as her cheeks darkened.

"Alright," he answered.

Her lips touched his brow before she climbed off of him and left the room. Hermione knew it wasn't fair. She was asking him in a weakened state to go with her. However, the slightly more covetous side of her wanted to take all the time she had with the wild Weasley. She knew he would not stay. In her heart of hearts, she knew this would end horribly for her, but falling for him after it all was done. Now, the poison had to be purged from her by letting it all happen.

"Don't just stand there, come on in," Bill instructed, causing Hermione to shake from her thoughts.

The curly-haired woman wandered into the sitting room to see the Weasley brothers and the Potters sitting around. "What time is it?" She questioned them.

"Around six. We were just about to go wake you two up for some food," Ginny said with a nod.

Ron's eyes were narrowed, and Hermione could see the start of an outburst. Whatever he was told, he was not pleased by any measure to hear it. "So, you get trapped in a cave and shag my brother?" He spat out with a vicious tone.

Hermione exhaled as she crossed her arms over her chest. "What does that matter? It's no one's business what happened down there. We both thought we were going to die; does that even mean anything to you, Ronald?"

He jerked from his seat and Bill jumped up next to him. "Let it go. He didn't just seduce her. What's done is done, and no one is going to change it," Bill insisted as he patted his brother's chest.

"You bloody slag," Ron snarled.

Ginny stood up and shoved her gangly older brother. "Stop it, leave her alone, Ron."

His eyes turned cool as he pulled away from his siblings. "Doesn't matter, now does it? He won't stick around no matter how much you beg, Hermione. You chose the wrong man to put your faith into," Ron said with a tiny sneer and sat back down.

Hermione shook her head and sighed. "You know, you a bloody pox of a friend, Ron."

She went toward the kitchen and started to get food on two empty plates. A heavy hand was placed on her shoulder, and she glanced over to see Harry. He offered to help, and she relinquished the duty to him. It was deathly silent, and Hermione knew why; it was difficult to grasp and understand if you weren't there. They didn't realize just how much they had to trust each other down there. It was all… an evolution of sorts.

"We're heading back in two days," Harry said as he dished food on the plates.

Hermione rocked her head. "Charlie said he'd come," she announced as she noted his cautious behavior.

"That's good, mum will be happy to see him," Bill responded as he reached for his glass on the coffee table.

"What are you going to do when he comes back here?" Ron huffed as he waved a hand in the air.

Her curly hair shook as she swayed her head. "I don't know, Ron. I'm just trying to get out of that cave still, alright?" Hermione saw their faces all still seemed grim. "Listen, I spoke my own truth to him down there, and he still saw my strength. Give me a bit of credit for knowing who to fuck," she said flatly while picking up the plates in front of Harry.

Hermione walked back into the bedroom without another word and Charlie smirked at her. He was out of bed, and she noted him attempting to grab a cup of water. "Let me get that, Charles," Hermione sighed.

"Arguing with my fuck of a little brother?" he questioned as she set the plates down on the dresser.

"Yes, he isn't happy. I don't know why we thought we could hide what happened," Hermione murmured as she helped the man settle back down into the bed.

She helped him elevate his leg, and he took her hand. "Hey, come here," he insisted.

The woman stared tiredly at him and shrugged her shoulders. "Let's get some food," she murmured.

Charlie wasn't dim. He knew that reality was going to worm its way into what happened slowly. However, he hoped it would happen further down the road when he could have his mind sorted first. His eyes traced her form as she maneuvered onto the bed next to him, setting his plate in his lap. The silence was the worst. Charlie had to say something. "Hermione," he started.

"Let's just eat, Charles," she sighed as her fork stabbed at the food.

"Please, don't do that," he grumbled as he shifted his position.

"I don't know what to say to all of this. Are we crazy for assuming that just wasn't a spur of the moment prospect for each of us?" She questioned, but he could see it in her eyes; she was now torn.

"I, well, I don't know," he sputtered, tearing his vision from her.

"Some food and sleep," she decided with a nod.

They were dead silent as both plates slowly emptied. Charlie handed her a pain pill and Hermione disappeared only to clear the plates. It was only then that he reflected on his muddled feelings. He wasn't sure he wanted her to leave, but then again, what crime would that be ever to ask anything of the woman who saved his life… giving into his lack of control, he closed his eyes and waited for her return.

* * *

Hermione only entered the house to go to the restroom. Two days were the longest for each of them, and the woman was steely and isolated from her friends. Harry was sitting in Charlie's bedroom and going over the travel plans, but Charlie was having a bad day. His signs were that of frustration and bouts of groans. He was going to have the doctors in Britain look him over when they got there.

"Charlie, what's going on? You were happy about all of this yesterday. Bill said he'd fly back with you. What's the problem?" Harry questioned while cleaning his glasses with a small rag.

Charlie scrubbed his face and shook his head. "Harry, she hasn't spoken to me since. She's avoided me," he growled with a scowl.

Harry cleared his throat and nodded. "Well, Hermione is a bit different than most girls, Charlie. I don't know what happened in the cave, but she's not as trusting of her feelings as others. She'd rather amputate a limb than admit that she wants more than she has."

"It wasn't as if we planned it," his voice was softer and hinted reflection. "I just was craving a moment, a single tangible memory of belonging, so if I died, it wasn't without knowing that I wasn't alone."

Harry pulled his glasses off his face and cleaned them with his shirt. "I'm sure she felt the same. She's smart enough to know how to avoid intimacy. She's been studying human behavior at uni for God's sake. Now that you both are out, the reality is neither of you are well matched on a professional level. I'm sure that scares her that she felt something for someone and knew you were unavailable for more from the get-go."

Charlie exhaled and bobbed his head. "I know, I keep telling myself that. I keep reminding myself that we aren't much outside of that cave… but it lingers like a tattoo."

Harry replaced his glasses and shifted his posture. "My recommendation is to tell her the truth and let the chips fall where they may. You both might discover you would never fit outside of it. However, if you don't see, then you'll always be stuck wondering if it was something more than survival mode lust."

"Lust," Charlie hissed with a grimace.

"We can talk man to man, Charlie. I know you were curious about her, but nothing more," Harry replied.

"I don't act on curiosity, Harry. I don't act on impulses and I sure as fuck don't shag a girl I've never fooled around with before. I genuinely thought that woman was fuckable from the moment I saw her again. Out of my league, but enough to bite the bit and watch from afar."

"Well, what happened?" Harry asked as he tugged on his shirt collar.

Charlie waved his hand and exhaled. "She let me in. She gave me what little I asked for- a kiss. After the second one, she was crawling in my lap, and _she_ initiated. That was the only way I would have ever done it."

"Oh, er, she, well, that's different," Harry sputtered as his cheeks reddened.

"I will sit at the base of a mountain and beg at an altar for days after the type of shagging that was," Charlie teased while wagging his eyebrows.

Harry cleared his throat and tilted his head. "Gin likes to pretend the world is ending occasionally too."

Charlie reached over and swatted the man's arm. "That's my sister!" He exclaimed with a glare.

"Charlie, I did," Harry stopped as Charlie laughed.

"I'm just fucking with you, Potter. Probably how you knocked her up anyway."

"You both, you know?" Harry asked with a wave of his hand.

Charlie scowled as he scratched his beard. "Well, safe-ish. Probably not my smartest decision. My line of work doesn't work with brats, ya know?"

Harry ran a hand through his shaggy hair and groaned. "I hope you aren't packing athletes, Charlie. Ginny told me today that she doesn't use the pill because of its effects on her."

"Don't worry, I have plenty of self-control," Charlie snickered despite the growing nausea in his stomach.

"Well, it only takes one," Harry grumbled and shifted. "Okay, I'm officially done with thinking about this. It's making me feel weird about Hermione and you shagging."

"I appreciate you sticking it out. I can't really tell my older brother about any of this because, well, he threatened to drown me if I even looked at her strangely again."

"Your family is weird, Charlie," Harry sighed while shaking his head.

"Don't I know it," Charlie grumbled.

* * *

 **Later on, after bags were packed…**

Hermione watched from the car as Charlie was being waved off by his coworkers. She didn't want to admit that she wanted to tell him farewell and she would see him soon. The woman refused to confess that she missed his conversing. After Bill told her that he had threatened the paleontologist with violence, it caused her to rethink everything. What was he hiding?

The vivid memory assaulted her again and caused her to squirm.

"You know, he was quite upset this morning Harry said," Ginny murmured from the front seat.

Hermione just made a humming of agreement and pulled out a book. "I imagine."

"I don't think I've ever heard Charlie get so flustered."

"Well, painkillers will do that too," Hermione mused as she tore her eyes from the car in front of them.

They sat in silence a moment before the car door next to her opened. "Hey, he wants you to come say goodbye," Harry ordered.

Hermione groaned and glanced up at her friend. "I don't feel like it. My feet are sore."

"Hermione, get out of the fucking car and go tell him goodbye," Harry commanded with a glare.

The woman growled and shoved the silvery object away from her feet before climbing out. "My god, Harry. What is so damn important?" she snapped as she stood in front of him.

He tugged her over even with her reluctant feet dragging. They were in front of the rental car at a quick pace, where the diggers parted to reveal the redhead with a smile. "There you are, done sulking?" he teased and waved her over.

Hermione felt awkward as Bill glared over from the driver's seat. "Hurry up. We have a flight to catch."

Charlie took her hand as she approached and kissed it. "I'll see you in a few days, alright?" he asked with a questioning expression.

Hermione nodded as the men around her snickered. "Okay, but don't expect much," she retorted with a half smile.

"Don't be too banged up, Hermione. Char told us you saved his ass. The man's just thankful," Damien responded with a smirk.

"God's speed, Charles Weasley," Hermione sighed and released his fingers. "Be safe, William. Mum will have fits if you aren't."

"Got it. Don't let Ron wear you down. I promised him a bashing of his lifetime if he provoked you," Bill declared with a nod.

Charlie waved and shut the car door, meeting her eyes through the window. It was bittersweet after not seeing him for two days. It would be another two before she saw him again. Why was her heart beating so roughly and churning her stomach to see him go? The car pulled out and drove off down the path just as Ron approached the group.

"It's been real, fellas," he announced.

Hermione waved them off and went to retreat into her haven of books and a seatbelt. It was going to be a long forty-eight hours...


	12. Chapter 12

Molly Weasley was hard at work. She was making true efforts to drive her second son mental- well, he thought so. Charlie was busily messaging a few colleagues back and forth about his findings while she was dusting the living room. He just so happened to be on the phone with someone when a sneezing fit occurred.

"I'm trying to work," he hissed at her while covering the phone.

"Dear, take a break, it's not going anywhere," she reminded him as she flicked her duster about.

He conceded from the argument, but not because he wanted to do so. Charlie did because she was preparing for the family to get together that evening.

"Charles, you said mud?" The man asked.

"No, not quite, Johnson. Actually, I haven't gotten it tested yet. It's being shipped here with the woman who found it with me."

"Another doctor?" Johnson questioned.

"No, she's one of the family's friend. They came to visit me, and we got barricaded in a cave. She saw the stack of rocks on our way out," Charlie confirmed as he typed on the laptop in front of him. "It was a bugger of a thing, but I'm glad we got something out of it."

Johnson tutted. "That doesn't sound like an egg. No nest, no clutch circle, and buried in rocks? No, that's not a great sign," the voice of the older man seemed disheartened.

"Wait, just listen. I have a good feeling about this, and I want you to examine it with me," Charlie insisted as Molly wandered around the room.

"Charles," the man warned.

Charlie groaned and huffed. "Then I'll go to Newt. He'll take time from his retirement to assist in my discovery," the redhead growled in the phone.

"There has never been any sign of a dinosaur or any likeness burying its eggs in rocks. They would crush the shells, and no warmth would be had."

"I know that, but this is different," Charlie insisted as his fingers tapped the keys on the laptop. "I'm not asking you not to be skeptical. I'm asking for your educated assistance."

There was silence, and then the man groaned. "Okay. Monday you'll bring it over, and we'll see. I'm not guaranteeing you anything after," Johnson finally agreed.

"Thank you, I appreciate it," Charlie sighed and finished sending out his e-mail.

"Promise me that you won't get your hopes up, Charles. This sounds like a silly caveman project," Johnson grumbled.

"I promise, now, I'll see you Monday, and we'll go over it."

They gave each other a quick goodbye and Charlie hung up his phone. "Ruddy codger," Charlie said as he tossed his phone aside.

Molly walked around the table and scrunched her nose. "What do you think it is, dear?"

"I think it might be a new species, but I could be wrong. Many signs point to it being just an old caveman mound. Possibly a shite covered rock," Charlie responded with a headshake. "But, if it's not, then I want to make sure I find out what it is."

Molly assisted Charlie in fixing the pillows under his cast. "Just keep faith, darling."

"Mhm, mum. That's all we can do."

She sat down, and Charlie shut his laptop. "My son, I have to ask you about what happened."

He waited two days for her to ask. "Yes, mother?" He questioned.

"What went on? When Ginny called me I prayed every night," Molly sighed, and her face scrunched up.

Charlie smiled and was chuckling mentally at the type of praying he did. "We prayed and then the next day we found a way out," he settled on as he took her hand.

"Good. God is good and helps us on the paths we need to be. Hermione suffered terribly when she was younger and when we lost Fred… she would pray with me every night. She's a good girl," Molly expressed as she squeezed his fingers.

He was moved. Charlie hadn't a clue that Hermione did that with his mother. "I'm sorry I wasn't here," he grumbled as his throat tightened.

Molly moved her hand to his cheek and exhaled. "My sweet boy. Don't you concern yourself with that. How could you help when you had a loss too? I'm sorry we didn't ask you to come home and grieve with your family, but we are together now. That's what's important."

The son took his mother's hand to his lips and kissed it. "Mother, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't a better son. That it took a woman, who was already suffering to help you when I was absent."

"She needed a job. If there's anything that girl needs it's a purpose to feel needed. She's a saint, and I only wish Ronald would have seen it before he cast his pearls before swine."

Charlie jerked from her hand and grimaced. "He's insolent."

"Well, he didn't get that from his father," Molly grumbled and puffed a breath out to remove hair from her face.

"You love her?" Charlie questioned with an arched eyebrow.

Molly laughed with a motion of agreement. "I love that girl. She's a wonderful creature meant to do God's work," she paused with a smile. "'Her mouth is full of wisdom; kindly teaching is on her tongue.' I think of it every time I hear her name."

"Proverbs 31:26," Charlie mused with a tilt to his head.

She patted his shoulder with a nod. "Hermione is a wonderful woman. I'm so happy you both were able to help each other out of that cave."

Charlie cast his gaze to the carpet and hemmed. "Mother, I don't think I did right by her."

"How so?" Molly questioned.

He shook his head. "It's lengthy and a bit difficult, but I shouldn't have acted on impulse."

Molly hummed and straightened her form. "Well, forgiveness is a possibility. However, you must ask for it. Now, I'm going to check on dinner while you finish your work. They should be here within the hour," she told him and stood up.

Charlie watched his mother move toward the kitchen, and he groaned. "Mum, don't tell her we spoke alright?"

"Of course, dear. That's your business, and I won't meddle as long as you remain true to who you are," she said and left through the doorway, leaving him to think.

* * *

Hermione was approaching the pathway and gnawing at the inside of her cheek as she glanced up at the large house. It was the first time in many months that she even thought about going to the Weasleys. If Ginny didn't refuse to take Charlie's stone, then she likely would have skipped coming. The redhead was always far more clever about her best friend's behavior than Hermione ever wanted.

It was challenging to think that inside was her family and friends. He was there too, and she almost didn't want to face him. Leave Romania be and move on… no, it just wasn't going to happen.

Finally, she summoned up enough courage to clutch the duffle bag containing the stone and walk up the steps. Should she knock? Was it too late to sneak in from the garden and not announce herself? Too late. The door unlatched, and there stood Arthur and Victoire.

"Aunt 'ermione!" The little blond girl screamed and launched herself at Hermione.

Hermione had just enough time to set down the duffle bag and scoop up the girl. "My, look at you, you've grown quite a bit since we last saw each other," Hermione remarked with a smile.

The little girl smirked and tossed her hair from her shoulder. "Well, mum says I'm going to be a model when I'm older."

"Hopefully a smart one," Hermione responded with a slight frown.

"Yes," Victoire voiced with a nod.

"Go on inside, dumpling and tell your gran that your aunt is here," Arthur ordered with a warm smile.

Hermione set the girl down who skipped off with excitement radiating off of her. "Good evening, dad," the older woman sighed.

Arthur motioned to pick up the duffel bag but groaned at the weight. "Darling, why is your overnight bag so heavy?"

"I'm not staying. This is for Charlie," Hermione replied and leaned to kiss his cheek.

"Tosh, my girl. Stay with us tonight. That's a long drive home after dinner," Arthur grumbled as he caressed her face.

She wasn't going to argue, so instead, she grabbed the bag from him and tilted her head. "I'm going to deliver this to Charlie."

He escorted her inside the house and stroked her shoulder when they shut the door behind them. "You look healthy," he mused with a nod.

"Well, I've been running a bit. It's been good for my mind when I'm stuck," she replied while glancing around at the empty sitting room. "Where's everyone?"

"Outside in the garden. George was setting up the slide for the children that he bought for us," Arthur declared.

Hermione set the bag down by the couch and exhaled. "I best go let them all know I'm here."

"I'm going to run and grab a coat, it's chilly tonight," He told her and left toward the other end of the house.

The woman straightened her shirt and walked into the kitchen, knowing full and well that Molly was cooking away. The matriarch didn't turn from stirring a pot as the woman came in view. "I'm glad that Ginny talked you into coming, dear," she said with a nod.

Hermione approached the stove and bounced her shoulders. "Well, I had Charlie's discovery with me, so I really didn't have a choice."

Molly cleaned off her spoon and set it aside before pulling the young woman into a long hug. "Thank goodness for favors," she sighed and kissed Hermione's forehead.

"I missed you," Hermione whispered.

"I missed you too. Ginny mentioned that you were going to stay the night?" Molly questioned as she pulled away.

Hermione's cheeks bloomed with color as she shook her head. "I didn't bring anything."

Molly pinched the woman's chin and huffed. "Well, you should still stay. It's too long to drive home after dinner. Living in some small flat near the university all alone. No, just enjoy a bit of family time, my dear."

"I'll think about it," Hermione sighed as she pulled away.

"The others are outside. I think Fleur was asking for you earlier."

Hermione motioned agreement and wandered toward the backdoor. It was challenging to say no to Molly, but she didn't see that conducive for avoiding the Weasley who she needed to be avoiding. Well, little good that did- she exited the house and nearly fell right into his lap.

Charlie was sitting in one of the chairs pulled close to the bench, and Hermione tripped on someone's bag lying near the door. Her chest was squished against his elevated knees, and her ankle was caught in the straps of the backpack.

"Goddammit, I told you to move your bag, Victoire," Bill groaned as he jerked from his chair.

"Don't let mum hear you," Charlie said before helping the woman right herself. "Are you alright?"

Hermione cleared her throat as she pulled the bag from her leg. "Yes, I'm quite alright."

"Hermione! We were just talking about you," Ginny declared as she waved the woman over.

The adults were sitting in a circle as little Fred and Victoire were swinging on the swing set in the yard. Hermione glanced at the disabled Weasley just once before maneuvering to sit next to Ginny. Once she was settled in, George handed her a glass bottle.

"What were you talking about?" Hermione hemmed before sipping the bottle.

Harry scratched his head and exhaled. "Well, we were just seeing who might be available to drive Charlie to uni on Monday. He's meeting with one of his old professors."

"I told him I could after work," Ron grumbled.

"I hate to be a burden," Charlie responded with a pinched expression.

Bill waved his free hand. "Don't worry about it, Charlie. Hermione doesn't mind helping," he said with a grimace.

Fleur pulled her hair from her shoulder and turned to Hermione. She spoke in French, and Hermione just nodded at the question. The women went back and forth a bit before Fleur was laughing with a motion of agreement.

"What are they saying?" Ginny huffed.

Bill rolled his eyes and twirled his finger in the air. "My wife is suggesting that it would be nice to go see the dig site next time."

Fleur stuck her tongue out at him before asking another question. The look on Bill's face was priceless as he spat something in French back at her. Hermione's cheeks reddened as Bill was glowering still at Fleur.

"Yes, I like to think I was," Charlie grunted before shifting in his chair.

Ginny grinned wildly at Hermione's mortification. "What did she ask?"

"No one's business," Hermione growled and cleared her throat.

"She asked if I was a good shag," Charlie said flatly.

"Brother, I'm impressed you know French," Ginny teased.

Charlie folded his arms and rocked his head. "I was working with some French professor at one of my digsites and learned quite a bit."

Ron stood up and waved the group off. "I'm going to go see if there's anything to eat. This conversation is bloody mental," he hissed and stomped off inside, slamming the door.

"Do you have to do this every time? You and your sister always gossip, and I told you not to say anything," Bill growled and rubbed his forehead.

"I think," Hermione couldn't finish because Ginny squeaked.

"No, you're not leaving yet! This is the first time in a long while that most of us are together," Ginny declared, tugging on Hermione's arm.

"I'm just going to go visit with the children," Hermione responded and climbed from her seat.

The woman was out on the grass before anyone could protest. Charlie's gaze lingered on her form as she engaged with the kids. He wanted some time alone just to apologize. Anything to explain that he wasn't trying to cause her any pain or distrust. Anything. Just to get her to talk to him again. He wasn't even sure what he did, but something happened.

Dusk was approaching, and the conversation grew light, but still, Charlie couldn't engage. He was sore, tired and now fed up with the commotion. He was just going to have to wait it out and possibly confront her after dinner.


	13. Chapter 13

George and Harry had managed a truce earlier on in dinner. They were fighting about what had happened in Romania and George had an entirely different idea of what should happen. He quite enjoyed that his big brother was figuratively tripping over a woman who was just as intelligent as the digger.

Before Hermione even arrived, they had words of it. Bill wanted nothing to do with the argument because he disagreed with even acknowledging that it took place. However, it was Harry that insisted it just needed to play out so she could let him down easy. There was no way on this planet that Hermione Granger would engage in anything emotionally complicated- it was accepted. Well, by all but George that was.

He had tricked the young woman and wouldn't admit to it. He convinced her on a game of cards, which Charlie joined in by proximity. The injured Weasley was busily sliding through his phone as he half-assed a game of poker.

"So, talking to that Swedish woman still, Charlie?" George questioned as he discarded two cards.

Charlie grunted as he picked up his hand and glanced at it. "No, she was only looking for money."

Hermione shifted on the couch next to George and set down a couple of cards. "It's a shame that people still do that."

"Yeah, well, there are two different types of people in this world. Those that give and those that take," Charlie grumbled as George drew cards.

George cleared his throat and tilted his head. "How about Natasha? Heard from her lately?"

"What of her?" Charlie snapped.

His tone was harsh in comparison to how he sounded in his head, and he cringed as Hermione glanced over at him with an arched eyebrow. She drew her cards and organized them before her lips twitched. "Who's Natasha?"

"No one, she's not a concern," Charlie huffed and threw down his hand.

George leaned over to Hermione; his mouth wasn't far from her ear. "She's his ex-girlfriend he was going to propose to."

Hermione cleared her throat as she revealed her hand. "When was this?"

"My God, Georgie, thanks," Charlie growled and tossed his hand. "It was at uni, and she was sharp as a whip. That's why she said no. She knew what my profession was leading me to and wanted no part of it, so she left. Happy now? We don't talk. She's with some fucking doctor," Charlie finished and snatched up his phone again.

The woman blinked, cards seemed so elementary in comparison to his confession. "You wanted to get married?"

"What's that mum? I'll be right there," George called out and abandoned them in the sitting room.

Charlie was pouting as he scanned through his phone, not looking up at the woman staring him down. "Well, I think society tells us it's something we have to do, but I was young, stupid and a tosser. She was right; my work keeps me isolated. I'd rather play with bones than do all of that."

"Are you angry with me, Charles? You seem perturbed," Hermione sighed.

"Yes, I'm bloody furious. Why are you ignoring me today? This is the most we've spoken, and you're looking at me like a science project," He replied with a narrowed stare at her.

"I have not been ignoring you," Hermione said with her chin up.

Charlie threw his phone on the table roughly before groaning loudly. "Yes, you have. All I want to know is what I need to apologize for so I can do it and we can actually hold a conversation!"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing," Hermione puffed and brushed her hair away from her face.

"You see, I would believe that if you didn't act like I was a fucking mistake," He snarled and winced, he was irritable, and this wasn't helping.

"I never once said that!" Hermione shouted as she stood up.

Charlie moaned and tossed his head back. "You don't have to. You're acting like it."

"No, I haven't acted like anything," she retorted as she pushed her chest up a bit.

"That's right because you haven't even bothered to talk to me!" He snarled and scrubbed his face with his hands.

Hermione pressed her hands on her hips and pinched her lips together. "I don't know what to do, Charlie. All of that, it was different. I don't know how to be that person here," she confessed as her shoulders sunk.

"So, that wasn't really you?" He asked as his fingers skated through his flaming hair.

"No, that was really me. Without anything to hide," Hermione's voice was becoming frail on the air.

Charlie attempted to climb up off the couch, but she rushed to his side. "I can't even fucking comfort you, this is the pits," He responded with a scrunched expression.

Hermione touched his shoulder, and he covered her fingers with his hand. "I'm sorry, I'm not good at these things, Charles. I'm used to keeping people at a distance and not reaching out. I haven't been fair to you."

"Well, trust me, I'm no better. I spent my entire adult life chasing bones because at least they don't leave you," he grumbled.

They still hadn't realized that they had an audience. Curious eyes were watching on as they rode ups and downs. Their bubble was encompassing as they neared the vexation of the issue.

Hermione bent down to his eye level and scowled. "Charles, you know this can't work. We're both emotionally difficult, and we live these separate lives. I don't want to make this harder than it needs to be."

He didn't care. It was probably the most comforting feeling he had lately. Charlie pulled her to him and kissed her lips. That familiar throbbing in his chest occurred as she touched his cheeks and kissed him sincerely. "Why won't you let this end?" She whispered when they parted.

"Because I can't yet, alright?" He asked as his hands cupped her face. "I don't know why I just can't shake you, little book girl."

"You have to try. We have to try. This isn't healthy for either of us," Hermione sighed and pulled away from him.

"Well, it hasn't killed me yet," He snickered.

Hermione exhaled loudly and rubbed her eyes with her fingertips. "You're near impossible, Charles Weasley."

"That's Dr. Charles Weasley to you, Hermione," he teased with a smirk.

"I'm going to talk to Gin before she leaves," Hermione murmured as she shifted on her feet.

Charlie reached out and snagged her hand. "Please stay tonight? We don't even have to talk about this again. I just missed what little companionship we had."

Hermione slumped and nodded. "Okay. I'll stay with you."

"Thank you," he replied, and she left him without another word. He had listened to her footsteps fade up the stairs before turning to see Harry, George and his father staring out from the kitchen. "Nosy fuckers," Charlie grumbled and relaxed against the couch.

"You know, that was probably the most emotional I've ever seen you brother," George remarked as he walked into the room.

"Don't you start that shit, Georgie, you left me with having to defuse a bomb," Charlie said as he shuddered at the throbbing in his shoulder.

George flopped down on the sofa and sighed as Harry walked in, clearing his throat. "I'm going to go get my wife," Harry murmured and left for the stairs.

Arthur, however, did not enter the room- he disappeared back into the kitchen. That gave Charlie a chance to recover. George tossed him the bottle of pain killers sitting out and sighed. "It might be a good thing that you two sort all of this out. Whatever happened down in that cave changed things a bit for her I think."

"How about everyone stops trying to either tell us to knock it off or go for it? I don't know what we're doing, but we're going to do it," Charlie grumbled before taking two of the pills.

"Okay, brother. Just remember, no one else knows what happened down there. It's both of you who can only tell," George said with a nod and climbed up. "I need to go back to Angelina. She's probably waiting. I didn't want her to come because she's been sick with the flu and didn't want to chance anyone recovering," he finished with a wink.

"I love you, brother," Charlie responded with a smile.

"Be good to her and remember she likes to laugh. Fred made her laugh tons," George mused before heading toward the kitchen.

* * *

Hermione and Charlie spent little time together after their awkward conversation. She ended up showering and crawling into some old clothing she had stored in Ginny's old room. Arthur helped Charlie up to his childhood bedroom, and he flicked through the telly channels with mild disdain. He didn't want to admit he was lonesome.

Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, he managed some sleep, but it wasn't restful. He kept having dreams about being lost in that dark cave without Hermione there. Wading around in the black water with no light and calling out her name.

"Charles," her whisper bubbled into his dream.

Charlie jolted awake when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hermione?" He choked as she made calming sounds.

"Yes, I was wondering if I could crawl into bed with you?" She breathed into the darkness.

Charlie cleared his throat and moved the blankets, only seeing her dark silhouette in the room. "Yes, but I'm not throwing on pants." He grumbled.

Hermione's weight announced her arrival as her chilled fingers touched his chest. "I don't care, just don't try to stick it in my arse," she mumbled.

He chuckled and relaxed on his pillows, letting her find a comfortable position. Charlie had not expected her to join him and certainly didn't think she was going to pull his arm around her form as she snuggled against him.

"Did you have a bad dream?" He asked while stroking her hair.

"No, I just needed to feel safe."

"I've got you," He murmured and kissed her forehead.

There was silence and Charlie thought she might have possibly gone back to bed, but she made a pleasant humming. "Charlie, you're always so warm," she sighed.

"You're always so soft," he chuckled, and his fingertips trailed her spine.

She pushed her weight on him, and he felt her warm breath near his cheek as she crawled up to him. "Charlie," she murmured.

"Now, don't you go starting something we can't do anything about. I'm not playing this game of risk you're tempting me with," He hissed as her fingers ran over his collarbone.

She laughed like sin in a low, breathy tone. "I'm not. I swear."

"You are, and it's making me randier than hell," he huffed and reached for her in the dark.

He pulled her to his mouth and kissed her. Hermione whimpered as his tongue lined her lips before joining hers. It was heady and not what the injured man needed to have any sort of control of the situation. Her hair tangled around him as she climbed on top of his torso and kissed him sincerely.

"You know, for a swotty girl, you kiss like a seductress," he murmured when they parted.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Hermione mumbled as her cheek ran against his face.

Charlie gingerly tugged her to the mattress and turned himself toward her. "Me too. I know this isn't ideal, but you saved me."

Her fingertips traced his brow and then curled into his long hair. "Well, what are we going to do?"

"Well, tomorrow we're going to go out and get out of this house. Spend time together and see what comes of it."

She kissed his lips gently and nodded. "Okay, Charles. I'll let you lead this time."

He pressed his lips to her forehead and sighed. "I don't know what this means, but I'm willing to find out."

"Me too," she murmured as she crawled into his arms.

They fell asleep with her twirling his hair in her fingers. Charlie's last thoughts before dreams took him was that he was lucky- regardless of how much it would destroy him to leave her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author Notes: Hey everyone! I'm so sorry I've been away. I had to put my dog down two weeks ago and it took all of the winds from my sails. I will be trying to get back into the saddle so to speak and write a bit more, but it's a process. I hope those that were waiting for a continuation of this story are still around!**

* * *

The museum was someplace Hermione hadn't been in years. Charlie was satisfied with teaching her about the different species as she wheeled him around. The paleontologist wouldn't admit he enjoyed it when she would lean close and press her pert chest to his shoulders as they spoke. There were actually many things he really enjoyed but couldn't confess to feeling.

The way her lips would stretch to a curl as she spoke, rolling her eyes at the goofy grin he would give in return. How Hermione's eyes sparkled like amber under the lighting and matched the beautiful nature of his work. The preservation of life and it's fragility was the story they spoke. Charlie couldn't confess any of these things, and it disappointed him to no end.

A string of moments, lining a long question he asked himself. Could he live without her? She changed him, saved his life, and made him wonder what it was all about. The meaning to everything he worked toward. Her laugh dimmed the belief that bones and discovery were his only future. The very nature of her struck him.

The testing of the stone was busy work with material breakdown- all the sciency stuff Hermione wasn't really understanding. She knew enough about biology to get the whole process, but when the two men started talking about different minerals, she was unfortunately lost. Give her a book, she could read all about it.

"This is quite different, Charles," the older man grumbled as he squinted against the microscope.

They went on, and Hermione stood there quiet as she absorbed this person hobbling about the room. He was direct, knowledgeable, and… attractive. The woman swallowed hard on those concepts as she watched. It wasn't until they left the museum that she said anything.

"You seem upbeat," she remarked as he flipped through the stack of pages.

Charlie grunted. "I'll be happier if I had more information on this rock," he chuckled.

Hermione paused the chair before heading to the carpark. "Charles," she said.

"Yes, darlin'?" He questioned without glancing back at her.

"Are you hungry?"

He paused, thumbing through the paperwork, and tilted his head in the slightest. "I could eat, what did you have in mind?"

"Well, you never did get me that steak," she teased.

Now he was nearly twisting in his chair to gaze at her. "You want me to take you out today?" He asked with a broad smirk.

She could feel her cheeks burning as he was smiling. "Well, yes."

"Okay," he said with a nod. "Let's head toward your flat."

"Wait. What?"

"I'm not gonna have some sod in a kitchen cook you a poor steak," Charlie teased and waved.

Despite herself and the awkwardness of the idea, she snorted with a smile. "Okay, but we have to go to the shop. I probably have nothing worth using."

The tension seemed to have lightened as they ran the errands before heading to her flat downtown. It was a slight mission getting him up the stairs, but after that, it was smooth sailing. He had poured her a decent glass of wine she had in the cupboard and got to work.

It was like learning a new language- she knew four. Charlie moved around to some music he had on his phone, not even paying heed to his cast. Charles had this way about him that fascinated Hermione in the worst way possible. She had to keep reminding herself that this was all temporary.

"Can I ask you a question?" He inquired as he was dressing the vegetables.

"No, I don't have any beer or ale," she said through a stifled smirk.

Charlie turned to her and set down his glass. "I'm serious," he sighed while shaking his head.

"Fire away, Charlie."

"In the cave, you mentioned baggage. What did you mean?" He asked.

Her vision dropped to her drink as she stared at the white liquid. "I'm broken- damaged goods. Neither of us can deal with the capacity of a relationship," she paused and swallowed. "Well, I'm not. You were ready for one years ago."

Instead of reaching for her, touching her, or anything she expected, Charlie turned and continued his work. There was a silence creeping between them. The redhead put the cookie sheets in the oven and cleared his throat.

"I was in love with her. She was wondrous, confident, strong-willed, and I was young. I devoted the better part of two years to this blond-haired siren. It wasn't until she told me that my lifestyle and earnings were the death of our relationship."

The checkboxes in Hermione's mind remained empty. She didn't have the capacity to really announce any of those traits. That dismayed her at length. Draining her cup, she hemmed. "She sounded," her voice trailed off.

"She was a strumpet," Charlie snapped, tossing a hand in the hair. "I had to learn that lesson. I was never going to be enough."

"You're quite enough for someone, Charlie."

"For you?"

Her eyes darted toward the window as her heart churned. Why did this have to be so hard?

Plates slid on the counter, and he hobbled next to her. His fingers pushed her curly hair from her shoulder. Charlie bent to touch his lips to her neck, and she whimpered before standing from the stool.

"We shouldn't," she mumbled.

"Please?"

When her eyes met his beautiful blue ones, she crumbled. "Charlie, this couldn't work."

"I could come home more. You could come to visit me on holiday. We could make this work if you want to," Charlie insisted and took her hand. "I just know that if I don't try, I will never be satisfied with anyone else."

"You're dream woman has more to offer than I do. I'm not wondrous, confident, nor pretty," Hermione breathed as she bowed her head.

He tipped her chin upward, so they were staring at each other. "You tick all the boxes, book girl. All of them and then some."

When his lips touched hers, there were fireworks. It was this magical event that Hermione never knew could be so exciting. All the prior kisses, she kept this guard between her yearning and her heart. He wasn't going to stay. He was temporary and a drug she would need to let it run its cycle. He was proposing a beautiful concept- one she never thought this man would ever ask.

Her head was light and hazy from the emotional stirring. When the alarm for the oven went off, they both had jumped at the intrusion. Charlie hobbled away from her, using the counters and retrieved the forgotten food.

Hermione's phone rang out, and she received a healthy dose of a cool down at the name. "Hello, mum," she answered the call.

Charlie jerked toward her with a scowl.

"Hermione Granger, wherein god's green earth are you? I had dinner ready an hour ago," Molly scolded.

Hermione covered the microphone and swore under her breath. "I forgot to call you and tell you that Charlie and I are having dinner at my flat."

"You, you and my son? Dinner?" The concept sounded so foreign to her as she pried.

"Hiya mum," Charlie exclaimed and stole the phone from Hermione.

Charlie pressed it to his ear with his shoulder as Hermione heard the low conversation from the other end. Nothing really stuck out, just the mufflings of Molly Weasley.

"No, no, it was very last minute. She asked if I was hungry, and I agreed. It was my idea to cook for her. It's the least I could do after she saved my life."

He was dressing the plates as his mother continued the conversation. He smiled as she sat back down on the stool and watched with amusement.

"Yeah, she's quite special. I told her that I'd be coming home more often," He announced. "No, I promise, we'll make it home after dinner. I know I don't have my medication. Yes, okay, but I need to go because I just finished dinner and she's waiting patiently. We'll see you in a few." He hung up and bounced his eyebrows. "Seems she's under the idea that we're thinkin' about dating."

"I wonder why that is," Hermione said with a flat tone as she snagged up the plates.

"Now, don't get frosty with me, Miss Granger. I did you a favor," he snickered as he ambled over to the table with a grunt.

"Oh, what's that?" She set the plates down onto the tabletop.

"She'll blame me for being the arse that kept an innocent woman out late," He teased.

"But we haven't talked about it, Charlie," Hermione grumbled.

He shifted his lips from one side of his face to the other before speaking. "Well, let's do that then. I was hoping you'd still be interested after I fed you."

Hermione smiled despite herself. "Conning me with decent food and conversation? I have a feeling you've done this before, Charles," she mumbled.

"Not like this, but let's not let it cool. Food first, we'll have time for that later."

They sat down and had dinner, soon laughing filled the small flat in London. It was the first time Charlie ever observed her smiling and laughing as much as he had. That was the night he made himself a promise to always keep her just like this, even if it killed him to do it.

* * *

Things grew normal between the Weasley and the scholarly woman. Well, their normal. She would sneak into his room at night. They would talk until their eyelids drooped and sleep would steal them away. A week went by with Hermione helping Mrs. Weasley with the chores about the house and garden, Charlie recovering and Arthur even probing about her adventures abroad.

It all seemed so… usual. That's what scared Hermione the most. Charlie's affections were becoming more blatant, and she couldn't taper him from exhibiting such in front of his family. This was one of those days.

Hermione was reading a book on the couch next to Charlie, who was exchanging emails with a few of his digger coworkers. His newly mended arm was around her as his fingers played in her hair. Molly had subtly gained the attention of her husband, but it wasn't secretive enough for their son to miss.

"What do you think about going to see that film tonight?" Charlie asked as he tugged a strand of Hermione's hair.

"What film, Charles?" Hermione sighed.

"You know, the one with the girl who falls in love with some dark handsome and broody fella."

Hermione stifled a smile. "You mean every feminine film out there?"

Charlie cleared his throat. "Yes, well, the newest version of rubbish that women liked to go see."

She turned to him as he was smirking. "Are you asking me out, Charles Weasley?"

"Way to make it bloody awkward, book girl. My parents are in the room," he griped, but his grin couldn't be any more obvious.

"Well, I'm going to go get ready. you're buying us popcorn, Charlie," Hermione laughed and stood up.

His eyes followed her out of the room and met his father's questioning gaze. "Charles," Arthur started.

"Arthur, don't, this is lovely!" Molly exclaimed with a clap of her hands.

"He won't be staying in Britain forever, darling," Arthur huffed.

Molly waved him off before turning to her son. "Charlie, my dear, do you mean to be serious with her?"

"As serious as I can, mum. I'm profoundly affected by her presence, and it's not going anywhere."

As luck would have it… his email announced a new one. Charlie shifted in his seat and listened to his parents began their minor bickering about the situation as he read. It was one of those moments he wished he had a drink at hand.

 _We opened the cave. You need to come back post haste, Char. It's prize-worthy._

The last line nearly punched his gut. Ballocks.


	15. Chapter 15

The blooming couple went out to a movie with ease. Charlie hadn't mentioned the email and was trying to find the right moment to do so. They had ice cream and were sitting on a bench bundled in coats while enjoying the evening splendor.

"I don't know much about you. What's your favorite color?" He questioned.

Hermione sighed as she beamed at him. "Lavender, like the hue before twilight is stolen from the world."

"What about your first kiss?" He asked.

Hermione snorted and tilted her head before licking the ice cream. "The exchange student that came to play football for a year. How about you?"

"Favorite kiss? You're top of my list, Hermione," He teased with a smile.

"Invasive. Interesting. So, if I were to analyze that, then it means that you're uncomfortable with talking about shades of color. Did your mother discipline you as a child?" Hermione laughed with a bright grin.

"Carla Greenburg, and she was a swotty little redhead. My favorite color happens to be the color maroon. You know, because we all were Gryffindor in my family," he said with a smirk.

Hermione glanced away from him, and he followed her stare. It was a small family, huddled together as their breath left in trails behind them. He scowled and cleared his throat. "So, you want children?"

Hermione snapped her vision back to him and shrugged. "It was never in the plan. I have gone back and forth on it, but I know that I have to overcome my neuroses of intimacy before I ever plan for children."

"Well, in a perfect world, I would have a whole lot of them. All red hair with crazy personalities. They would dig in the dirt after I planted plastered bones for them to find. Their mother would be an astronaut and have tales of aliens and different planets. We then would vacation on the moon in the spring - because no one likes Europe in the spring."

"You mock, but there's a hidden truth there," Hermione mused.

Charlie groaned after biting his cone. "Would you stop analyzing me for two minutes?" He asked.

She smirked while shaking her head. "No, it's part of the charm. I enjoy that you are far easier to read than most. You enjoy simpler answers and know that logic and dreams blend, but need to be housed in separate parts of the heart."

"You like to think you're too smart to have your own tells, but you do," Charlie murmured.

"How about," Hermione started, but Charlie pulled her to him for a kiss.

Hermione's nearly finished ice cream fell to the ground as she wound her arms around his shoulders. She kissed him to an urgency that Charlie was consumed by. "Let's go back to my flat, just for a bit," Hermione whispered when they pulled apart.

Charlie was going to punch his reflection for what left his mouth. "I have to go back to Romania when my cast comes off."

Hermione jerked from him with a glare. "What?"

He blinked and hemmed. "Come with me. Come see my world, not as an outsider, but with me."

"I have school to worry about. I haven't even started on any of my work. There's too much riding on this year for me to race off to Romania and dig up bones," Hermione mumbled.

"Just for a bit? I promise I won't ask you to leave while you're in school. I'll come to visit and take time from my work."

"That isn't fair to ask me," Hermione huffed as she glanced away from him.

"Please? I don't want to leave and become just a happy accident. If anyone deserves to see inside my world - to see me, it's you."

"You aren't what you do, Charlie," Hermione whispered.

"But it's a piece of me, Hermione. Give me just one more month of your time. You can bring your studies and work, but I also want you to go on this adventure with me. I'm crazy about you, and I have to leave. I don't want to leave this," He finished before taking her hand.

She looked back at his face and exhaled. "One month?"

He grinned with a nod. "One month. I promise, if you don't have any urge to go back, I won't ever ask you again."

"Where would that leave us? A romance between semesters? You would fly out to spend time with me and not be with me because you want to discover species? Charlie, what do we have that can continue after that?"

"Wonderful make-up sex?" He offered with a chuckle.

Hermione grinned despite her doubts. "Alright, but only because I can't see us playing this out any other way. I'll go with you back to Romania and learn to dig up bones."

"I promise, you can leave before uni starts and I won't blubber or complain when you're consumed with work. I'll," she halted his words with a kiss.

They parted, and she smiled. "Let's go," she said.

* * *

"No, listen to me, I'm saying that it was in a stack," Charlie grumbled as he flipped through the freshly printed reports.

"Even so, Weasley, it's impossible. What's inside can't be seen unless we open it up. This is coated by biomaterial!"

He was scowling at the findings and shook his head. "Then tell me why the Xrays and scans were inconclusive."

"That's the issue. It's all the same material. Whatever is inside we can't get to." The man on the other end of the phone grumbled.

Charlie set down the pages on the night table and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, alright, let's hold off. Run a few more tests on the material based on Jurassic and Cretaceous. I have to go back to Romania in a few days because of the cave. After I see what's inside, we can talk about opening it."

"What did they tell you was inside?" He asked.

"The same material we found on the rock over a wall in the cave. They don't want to pry it open without me there. Precautions," Charlie mused.

Hermione walked into her bedroom, nearly naked and digging through her drawers. Charlie blinked and cleared his throat as the man was mumbling on the other end. The woman hasn't noticed that he was ogling at her shuffling through her clothes as she stood in her knickers.

"Yeah, yeah, no, let me call you back. Something came up," Charlie grumbled.

"Charles, wait," the man huffed.

"Much love, have fun, good day," Charlie hurried and hung up.

Hermione still hasn't turned around as she pulled out a shirt. "Charles, we have to get ready to go," she huffed.

Glorious tanned legs and yummy curves. "We can wait," Charlie murmured.

"Well, are you going to climb out of bed? We need to make it to this dinner," She spoke while pulling out a skirt from her wardrobe.

"Hermione, do you think you could grab me," he paused and searched for something near him. "My laptop," he pointed to the item across the bed.

She breathed and walked toward him, stretching across the bed. "Hurry, now. Harry and Gin," she paused when his hand traced her hip.

"It would be nice to hold off a moment," he whispered. Hermione's cheeks filled as she glanced at his face. He was evidently more interested in her undressing than getting ready to go eat. Charlie traced the line on her knickers and groaned. "We haven't done anything since the cave," he remarked.

"Charlie, aren't you still sore?" She asked.

He chuckled and pulled her onto his lap. "Not enough to prevent a bit of fun."

"You are," she paused and kissed him while straddling his lap. "A bad, horrible man," she sighed and kissed him again.

"Do you have anything?" he asked when pulling away.

She groaned while shaking her head. "No, I haven't been to the shop yet, remember? We didn't get back here until late. Your mother wasn't letting us leave," she huffed.

Charlie moaned loudly and pressed his forehead to her chest. "My god. I'm so randy now that I'm not hurting as much."

Hermione giggled as she rolled her hips. "That's just a shame."

"You torturous, vicious, greedy woman," Charlie growled against her.

"Wouldn't it just about kill you that I make you wait. Shagging me once isn't a green light to do so again," Hermione snickered.

"That's very true," he sighed as he leaned back against the headboard. "But it would be nice."

"Sex, it's such an interesting concept," Hermione mused as she curled her arms around his shoulder. "When you don't have it, you don't care. When you have it, you always want more."

"Says you. When I'm not shagging you, I'm thinking about it all day. Before the cave, I thought about what it would be like. Of course, not as obsessively."

Hermione laughed and placed her hand over his face, thumb caressing his jawline as her fingers ran through his beard. "And you, Dr. Charles Weasley, are too attractive to be on my bed."

He tumbled her to the bed and sunk next to her form, leaning on his elbow. "You're remarkably intelligent and stimulate a part of my mind that hasn't been in a long while."

"Which part?" Hermione said.

"The desire to have someone to tell my secrets to," he responded as his finger traced her cheek.

"What secrets, you haven't told me any yet?" Hermione asked as she pouted.

Charlie groaned as he pulled his casted leg to a more comfortable position. "You think I would have told anyone else about how much I love a good book? They'd accuse me of being swotty," he teased.

"You are swotty," Hermione retorted and smirked. "I wouldn't find you the least bit attractive if you weren't."

"Why are you so comfortable with me now?" Charlie asked.

Hermione glanced away from his eyes and exhaled. "I think it's because you don't treat me like I'm broken, even if I feel it. I've had to act my way through being fine."

"Have you been playing the part for my benefit?" Charlie questioned as his expression stayed neutral.

Hermione bit her lip and swallowed. "Not as much with others."

"If you ever feel like I'm overstepping and you think you need to pander to me, please don't. I want you to be authentic and you. The good, the bad, the stuffy noses," Charlie finished with a smile as he tapped her nose.

"Pandering?"

Charlie shifted and pressed a hand to her abdomen. "If you didn't want to do anything but what we have, I won't be disappointed. I'm a randy bugger, but I'm not going to do anything to make you uncomfortable."

She avoided his eyes and attempted to swallow down tears. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

Charlie tilted her face to him. "Don't apologize to me. Never apologize. You're the greatest woman I know, and I've known plenty of great women - you've met my family," he laughed, and she choked on laughter. "You just need to tell me where your limits are. I'm new to this too, Hermione. The last time I had a real relationship, I was younger than you."

"And you don't feel disappointed that I'm awkward?" Hermione mumbled.

"Awkward? My god, Hermione, I have to tell myself to not fall on my face over how charming you are. Awkward you aren't."

She shook her head with a smile as she cleared her face. "Don't flatter me."

Charlie snorted and pressed his face into her stomach. "You have no idea how much that's not a compliment but truth," he spoke into her form.

"So, I have to ask you, what can I do for you?" Hermione asked.

Charlie lifted his face enough to turn to her. "Okay, I have a request."

"Hmm?"

"You go with me to one of my favorite places in the UK," Charlie said.

"Where?" Hermione asked.

"I'll show you this weekend, alright? I'll have my cast off, and we're going to take a bike," Charlie announced with a smirk.

"A bicycle?"

Charlie crawled up to her and winked. "I have a motorbike in storage. We'll take a drive."

Hermione beamed and bobbed her head. "Okay, Charlie. I'll follow your lead."

"That's my strong book, girl. I promise you'll enjoy it."

"Let's go to dinner with the Potters. We can watch films later," Hermione said, and they ambled from the bed.


End file.
